Driver propelled out of lorry

A driver died after being “propelled” out of his toppling lorry, a fatal accident inquiry at Lochmaddy Sheriff Court heard.

Steven Buchanan, of Benbecula, died after the truck - which had an on-board crane - went over on its side, a postmortem found.

The 40-year-old was collecting dirty salmon farm nets from a confined space on a small quayside by a sea loch in Locheport, North Uist, in October 2013.

The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) hired his father’s firm, Buchanan Brothers, to take the nets for cleaning.

But bundles of new nets were also lying on the pier, restricting working space, it was claimed at the inquiry.

Solicitors at the close of the four-day hearing agreed the father-of-two was in the cab of the vehicle - which was reversing up an uneven track - and was somehow “propelled” out.

The lorry came to rest on the driver’s side.

Driver in death accident may have been “propelled” out of lorry

7 March 2015