£1.75 million fine reduced for firm following Longannet Power Station accident
David Roscoe was badly injured in 2013.
A major firm had a fine imposed on it after a worker was badly injured at a Fife power station reduced by £550,000 today by appeal judges.
53 year old David Roscoe suffered extensive burns and underwent five operations after he was engulfed in pressurised high temperature steam at Longannet power station in Fife.
Scottish Power Generation subsequently admitted a breach of Health and Safety at Work legislation at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and was fined £1.75 million earlier this year.
But the firm took the case to the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh and secured a ruling quashing the original financial penalty and imposing a lesser fine of £1.2 million.
The court heard that the accident involved a faulty valve in pipe work at the power plant. Mr Roscoe was conducting routine checks when he noticed steam coming from pipes on October 12 in 2013.
He turned a wheel in a bid to close the valve unaware if the fault and was immediately hit by the steam.
The Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway, said: "It was accepted that Mr Roscoe had been a good and conscientious employee. When he had attempted to close the valve, he was doing no more or less than that which he was employed to do."
He managed to get away after a second or two and went to an emergency shower and radioed for help.
The front of his lower body and legs were very badly burned and his arms and neck were also affected.
Mr Roscoe underwent two skin grafts and spent four weeks in hospital and was medically retired in 2015.