May 14, 2014
Scotland

Inquiry into death of man killed when he fell 100ft down wind turbine

STV | 14 May 2014 | stv.tv

A fatal accident inquiry is to be held into the death of a man who was killed when he fell 100ft down the shaft of a wind turbine.

Basilio Brazao, a 19-year-old Brazilian construction worker, was working inside the turbine at the Earlsburn wind farm near Fintry, Stirlingshire on May 22, 2007 when he fell.

The teenager, who lived in Dunbar, East Lothian, died instantly and his body was later removed by fire crews.

In 2012, Manchester-based manufacturers Nordex UK admitted a number of health and safety breaches on the site.

These included that as a consequence of failing to provide safe access, Mr Brazao was required to climb a ladder to access the main generator of the turbine.

A fatal accident inquiry will start on June 23 at Stirling Sheriff Court, with a preliminary hearing on May 21.

The £27m wind farm in the Touch Hills was built by developers RDC Scotland.

When planning permission was granted in 2004, RDC said the windfarm would be capable of generating enough electricity for half the homes in Stirlingshire cutting carbon dioxide emissions in the area by 1.6 million tonnes over its planned 25-year lifetime.

The development raised protests from people in nearby Denny, who claimed they had not been consulted.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/05/14/inquiry-into-death-of-man-killed-when-he-fell-100ft-down-wind-turbine/