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Worker killed by crane on Queensferry Crossing project

The north tower where the incident took place.

A construction worker has been killed in an incident on the Queensferry Crossing project after being hit been hit by the moving boom on a crane on the deck of the north tower.

It is understood the 60-year-old suffered severe blood loss and he was unable to be resuscitated. Another man was injured in the incident. Work has stopped for investigations to take place. 

The new £1.4bn bridge being built across the Firth of Forth is due to be completed by the end of the year. Work started in 2011 and the death is thought to be the first fatality at the site.

The incident is all the more poignant given that it occurred on Workers memorial Day, the annual commemoration to bring awareness to the hundreds of thousands of people worldwide who have died at work. Harry Frew, Ucatt Scottish regional secretary, said: "We were just on our way back from a Worker's Memorial Day ceremony in Glasgow Green to commemorate workers who have been killed at work when we heard the news.

"I am very saddened about this tragedy and our thoughts are with his family."

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "We are currently working alongside our partner agencies to investigate an incident on the Queensferry Crossing Bridge that resulted in a man sustaining fatal injuries. The call was received around 12.20pm on Thursday and sadly, the man was pronounced dead a short time later.

Inquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing.

If you would like to contact Andy Walker about this, or any other story, please email awalker@infrastructure-intelligence.com.