A lorry driver was killed in a “tragic accident” on a Forfar farm as he waited for his vehicle to be loaded with straw, a sheriff has ruled.
Christopher Black, 49, died after falling around 4ft as he waited for bales to be put on his truck.
Mr Black had been at Cotton of Turin farm operated by D Ramsay & Son when he suffered a fatal head wound.
A fatal accident inquiry was held at Dundee Sheriff Court to establish the circumstances surrounding his death, which occurred in November 2017.
Sheriff George Way ruled Mr Black’s head injury caused his death but that nothing could have been done to prevent the accident.
Mr Black, of Falkirk, was collecting bales from the farm while working for Ian Murrie Haulage Ltd when he was killed after falling from his truck.
Sheriff Way ruled no blame could be attached to any work systems at the farm and described Mr Black’s death as a “tragic accident”.
He concluded: “There was no failure in the planning or operation of the mechanical loading of the straw bales.
“The deceased was not struck by a straw bale. There is simply no explanation as to how or why the deceased sought to climb on to the trailer or how he came to fall backwards.
“No one saw this, the witnesses only came upon the aftermath. This was a tragic accident but one for which the inquiry can offer no explanation of any kind.”
