Donald Singer, 66, died after contracting Covid-19 in May 2020 and was airlifted from the Ninian Southern Platform to Aberdeen Roayl Infirmary.
A fatal accident inquiry into the death of a oil rig worker with Covid-19 will be the first of its kind and will examine safety measures on an offshore oil rig. Donald Singer, 66, died at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary during the height of the first wave of the pandemic on May 4, 2020.
A preliminary hearing for the discretionary inquiry into the crane operator’s death took place at Aberdeen Sheriff Court today, Friday, December 12. After his symptoms worsened, Mr Singer was airlifted by a search and rescue helicopter from the Ninian Southern Platform off the coast of Shetland on April 3.
The hearing was told Covid measures in the airport Mr Singer used will be looked at by the FAI, as well as medical treatment provided offshore. The court heard his employers have indicated they will not be participating in the inquiry.
Catriona Dow, for the Crown, said: “This is a discretionary inquiry. At the start of the pandemic the then lord advocate instructed that any suspected Covid death did not need to be reported to the procurator fiscal.
“The lord advocate kept measures under review, and instructed that two categories of presumed Covid deaths should be reported – people who might have contracted the disease in employment, and residents of care homes. More than 6,000 individual deaths have been reported.”
Mr Singer’s son Richard Singer, brother Gordon Singer and nephew James Clark attended the virtual hearing. The Health and Safety Executive had legal representation at the hearing, along with offshore operator CNR International.
Ms Dow said: “The Crown considered issues to be examined includes Covid measures in place in the airport he travelled from, and the medical treatment he received offshore.” She said the family have made the Crown aware “of concerns they have about the circumstances of Mr Singer’s death”.
She added: “There was a medic provided on the platform, it may be there are concerns about the medical treatment.” A further preliminary hearing has been set for February 25, in front of Sheriff McCrossan.
