Steeplejack's death 'an accident'

An experienced steeplejack from Middlesbrough fell 60 feet to his death while working at a power station in North Yorkshire, an inquest heard on Wednesday.

David Jamieson, 55, was working on the main chimney at Eggborough power station, near Selby, when he fell on 19 July, 2002.

The inquest heard Mr Jamieson, of Upper Albion Street, Middlesbrough, suffered a broken neck and chest injuries and would have died instantly.

He was helping to install anti-acid rain equipment in the 650ft chimney.

The work was part of a £50 million scheme to cut sulphur dioxide emissions from the coal-powered plant to comply with national air quality standards targets.

The inquest at Harrogate Magistrates Court was told there were problems fitting the plastic lining in the chimney and Mr Jamieson was one of several steeplejacks working on the job.

No harness

As the plastic lining was shunted up the chimney it kept getting stuck.

The inquest heard Mr Jamieson may have heard project manager Colin Nodder make a comment on the problem and possible solutions.

One possible solution was to lever the plastic lining into place from level 15 of the chimney.

The inquest was told Mr Jamieson was never given any instructions telling him to go to level 15, and that any attempt to move the plastic lining on his own would have been futile.

His body was later discovered on level 13 of the 20 floor chimney. He probably fell from level 15, the inquest was told.

Coroner Geoff Fell said although Mr Jamieson was highly experienced and safety conscious "it appears on this occasion he went to level 15 and beyond the safety barriers and without a safety harness".

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.