The family of a north crofter who died after plunging through a roof, say they hope the tragic accident might help prevent similar deaths.
Brian MacIver suffered severe head injuries as a result of the fall at his croft at Balnabeen near Conon Bridge on August 16 last year.
A fatal accident inquiry held at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday was told that the 68-year-old was found by his brother Alistair on the floor of a shed used to store hay bales.
The father of two had been repairing panels of the roof, which was made of asbestos cement, when he fell through.
Alistair MacIver, 72, said that he had last seen his brother alive at around 10.30am on the day of the accident.
He said he would have offered to lend a hand if he had known of his brother’s plan to repair the roof.
Alistair, who works land on a neighbouring croft, returned at around 1.30pm and found his brother’s body.
He told the inquiry that when they had previously carried out repairs to the roof they had arranged hay bales underneath to provide a soft landing if something went wrong.
Alistair MacIver said that “for whatever reason” this had not been done, adding that his brother was “always in a hurry”.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Penny Falconer agreed that farmers regularly used bales as a safety measure when working at heights.
She said: “The problem with asbestos cement is that it is a fragile substance.
“If you don’t spread the load and if you actually stand on it then there is a chance you will go through.”
The HSE estimated that Mr MacIver had fallen more than 14ft from the roof onto the solid floor of the shed.
Fiscal depute Alasdair MacDonald said in summing up his evidence that the circumstances of Mr MacIvor’s death were self explanatory.
He said that the crofter had died of “significant head injuries”, adding that he could have been saved by using the bales as a “rudimentary but effective safety net”.
Outside the inquiry, Mr MacIver’s nephew Ivor Bisset said that it had been difficult for the family to relive the “traumatic events” almost a year to the day since the accident, saying that nothing would bring back his uncle.
He added: “We would like to reiterate to others just how important it is to take every precaution while working at heights as this tragic accident shows.”
Sheriff David Sutherland will issue his findings in writing later.