Energy giant BP is to stand trial over the death of a scaffolder who plunged into the North Sea after falling from an oil platform.
Sean Anderson, a 43-year-old father, had been part of a team carrying out routine maintenance on the Unity platform when the tragic incident happened.
Mr Anderson, who was working for industrial services firm Cape, fell from the installation, which lies around 180km north-east of Aberdeen, and sustained fatal injuries.
Now the case has called at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, with BP facing a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
It is alleged the firm failed to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that people not in its employment, but who may have been affected, were not exposed to risks to their health or safety.
The charge alleges BP failed to have in place suitable and sufficient control measures in respect of open gratings on the lower deck of the platform and that, as a consequence, Mr Anderson fell through an open grating to the sea below and sustained fatal injuries.
The incident happened at around 4am on September 4 2014.
BP lodged a plea of not guilty in respect of the allegation.
Sheriff Philip Mann fixed a trial diet in the case for early next year, reserving 10 days for the trial.
At the time of the incident, BP released a statement extending its “deepest sympathies” to Mr Anderson’s family and employer.
A spokesman for BP said today: “This was a tragic incident and our deepest sympathies remain with the family and friends of Mr Anderson.
“The safety of staff and contractors working on our operations is central to everything we do and BP fully supported the investigations that followed this incident in September 2014.
“With legal proceedings now live, we continue to follow due process and it would not be appropriate to comment further.”
In the wake of his death, Mr Anderson was described by friends and family as a “true gentleman”, a “top bloke”, and a “brilliant lad”.
Recommended for you
