Funding rolewill continue forMike
Norbord Europe denies charges following 2016 incident
Callander resident Mike Cantlay has been reappointed as chair of the Scottish Funding Council for a further four years.
First appointed SFC chair in October 2017, Dr Cantlay is currently also chair of NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage).
He has previously held other senior public offices, including chairing VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley and Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.
Dr Cantlay studied at the University of Strathclyde and has an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Stirling. He was made an OBE in 2014 for services to tourism.
His reappointment to the SFC, which is responsible for the investment of around £2billion in public money in Scotland’s colleges and universities, was announced by the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Richard Lochhead.
SFC chief executive Karen Watt said: “During Mike’s first term in office, the Scottish Funding Council has risen to many challenges in order to sustain Scotland’s worldleading system of tertiary education, research and innovation.
“Mike’s experience in both the private sector and in public sectors has been an invaluable asset throughout. I am delighted that Mike will remain as chair of SFC as we face the task of supporting Scotland’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and considering the future for students, research and innovation, and sustainable institutions.”
Dr Cantlay was an inaugural member of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority and was subsequently elected convener. He was chair of VisitScotland from 2010 until 2016, leading the organisation through events like the Ryder Cup, the Commonwealth Games and the Year of Natural Scotland. He has also served as chair of the board of management at Forth Valley College.
A company that runs a Scottish chipboard factory is to face trial over an incident in which a worker suffered serious burns and was killed.
Norbord Europe Limited is accused of exposing the late father-of-two and his colleagues to the risk of serious injury and death through alleged health and safety failings.
The man, George Laird, 64, was fatally injured when staff used a fire hose to remove hot ash from the hot gas duct of a combustion chamber at the plant, in Cowie, Stirlingshire, according to court documents.
It is alleged that as a result of the workers’ self-devised use of the “high-pressure” hose for the job, hot water, steam and ash were “propelled” onto Mr Laird.
He died in Forth Valley Royal Hospital the next day - on July 14, 2016 - following what prosecutor Sandra Craig said was “a
Blair Drummond Safari Park in Stirlingshire is set to reopen from tomorrow (Saturday) - for Stirling residents only.
The move is in line with Scottish Government guidance which allows zoos and safari parks in Scotland to open to provide a safe, outdoor environment for local residents.
Blair Drummond says numerous safety measures have been put in place to keep everyone safe. These include a limit on the number of tickets, capped at less than a third of usual capacity.
All tickets must also be pre-booked online. The park is open for residents of Stirling local authority area only whilst the travel restrictions remain in place.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the safari drive-thru, as tragic incident”.
At a preliminary hearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court, defence counsel Mark Stewart QC tendered pleas of not guilty on behalf of the company, Norbord Europe Limited, to two charges under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc Act.
The first alleges that Norbord Europe usual, from the safety of their own car. Managers at the park have installed a one-way walking route through the other attractions in the 160 acre site, including the dinosaurs, giraffes, tigers and adventure play areas.
Park manager Gary Gilmour said:“We are looking forward to welcoming our local visitors back from March 20.
“Visitors will notice lots of measures in place, and some areas of the park will be operating a little differently than usual.
“The safety of our visitors, staff and animals is our highest priority and we’ve worked hard to ensure that the new operating procedures allow everyone to enjoy a safe and fun day out.” failed to provide a safe system of work for employees removing hot ash from the combustion chamber or inspecting or removing hot ash from the gas duct, as a result of which staff “devised their own system of work and were thereby put at risk of personal injury or death” - in particular the use of the fire hose which propelled hot water, steam and ash onto Mr Laird.
The second alleges the company failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to anyone carrying out such work, and the precautions to be taken.
It alleges that the incident occurred, in the absence of appropriate procedures and precautions, as a consequence.
After listening to legal submissions, Sheriff Keith O’Mahony continued the case to a further preliminary hearing on May 18, at which dates for trial by jury may be fixed.
Mr Laird had worked for the firm, on Station Road, Cowie, for more than three decades and had been due to retire the month after the tragedy.
The factory, a major employer in the Falkirk, Stirling and Alloa areas for nearly 50 years, was originally known as Caberboard.
It was opened in the 1970s by private traders with German and American finance, and was the first factory in the UK to manufacture the ubiquitous natural wood substitute MDF.