Windfarm snow death firm convicted of safety breach
Widow - Bosses failed on common sense
THE family of a windfarm worker who froze to death on a nightshift have hit out after his bosses were convicted for health and safety breaches.
Ronnie Alexander, 74, died at the Afton wind farm near New Cumnock, Ayrshire.
The Kilmarnock security guard succumbed to hypothermia after his cabin generator failed leaving him without electricity or heat.
Employers CSM Facilities and wind farm bosses Farrans Construction were convicted at Ayr Sheriff Court over the death.
Relatives have now called on all industries to improve care and support measures for remote workers.
Widow Mary Alexander, 81, said: “Losing Ronnie was the hardest thing our family has experienced. He was loving, hard-working, kind-spirited and he doted on his grandkids – that’s why he was still working in his 70s because he wanted to spoil his family.
“My husband died in January 2018 and November of that year would have been our 50th wedding anniversary. To have lived through so much together and have him taken because his boss failed on basic, common sense procedures is just beyond us all.
“It pains us to imagine what Ronnie felt – not just the physical struggle but enduring it alone.”
The incident on January 21 2018 happened after the Met Office issued a yellow warning for heavy snow.
The alarm was raised around 8.30pm after he failed to return home after a 12-hour shift and relatives failed to get an answer on his mobile phone.
Police Scotland’s Mountain Rescue Team found him around 1am in deep snow and nearly one mile away from his security cabin.
It is thought he left for a second site cabin around one kilometre away in the hope it still had power.
Ronnie is survived by his wife, two daughters and three grandsons who are exploring a civil action.
Farrans has since stopped night-time and weekend security work and installed high-tech electronic security devices.
CSM Facilities has been contacted for comment.