The death of a farmer who was crushed while inspecting a new piece of machinery could have been avoided, a sheriff has ruled.
Allan MacCallum, 46, had been looking at a new baler machine which was to be used as an attachment for his tractor when tragedy struck.
He had noticed connections for the baler and tractor were not compatible and began working to replace the hydraulic hoses.
Once the hoses were fixed and connected, it enabled Mr MacCallum and friend Alexander MacArthur to carry on inspecting the baler which had only just been delivered to the farm on the Isle of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides.
They lifted the tailgate of the baler and Mr MacArthur climbed inside for a closer look while Mr MacCallum was leaning over a wheel looking inside.
The tailgate then came crashing down and pinned Mr MacCallum to the baler with his head and upper torso inside and the rest of his body outside.
Mr MacArthur was also trapped inside and began screaming for help.
Mr MacCallum’s son Sean heard the cries and managed to lift the tailgate of the baler with a tractor.
Despite Mr MacArthur performing CPR while paramedics were called, father-of-three Mr MacCallum died at the scene.
A fatal accident inquiry at Oban Sheriff Court has now ruled that if the baler’s hydraulic ram isolation valve, which would keep the ram in place in the event of hydraulic failure, been deployed then it is likely the accident and death could have been avoided.
The inquiry also determined that one of the baler’s warning labels highlighting the need to deploy the isolation valve when the tailgate was raised had become unreadable through erosion.
It also advised suppliers of agricultural machinery to send instruction manuals to customers via recorded delivery after the baler arrived without one.
In a written judgment, Sheriff Patrick Hughes said: “The baler had an isolation valve attached to one of its hydraulic rams which was designed to stop the tailgate falling in a situation where, as happened here, hydraulic pressure failed suddenly.
“That isolation valve was found to be in working order after the accident. Had it been deployed neither the accident nor the death would have happened.
“With the benefit of hindsight it is clear that closing the isolation valve was a reasonable precaution to take.
“It is to be hoped that others working with similar machinery in future will learn the lessons of this tragedy and utilise fail-safe mechanisms in future.”
Sheriff Hughes added: “Finally I would like to express my sincere condolences to Mr MacCallum’s family and friends for their tragic loss.
“The experiences of his son Sean MacCallum and his friend on the day must have been especially painful as they faced this sudden and horrific accident.
“The evidence before the inquiry makes clear that they reacted with impressive level-headedness and skill, and did all that anyone could have done for Mr MacCallum.”