A construction company has been fined £550,000 over the "foreseeable and avoidable death" of an electrician who was impaled on metal piping.

Matthew Mason, 20, was installing a PA system at Bearsden train station in East Dunbartonshire when he fell to his death.

He was attempting to free cabling that had become stuck when he fell backwards from a step ladder and was impaled on a section of piping being used as the handle on a cable drum.

The piping pierced his side causing internal injuries and he was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred on Jun 5 2018.

Sheffield-based Linbrooke Services was found guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court of three breaches of health and safety and working at height regulations following a 14-day trial.

In addition to the fine, the company was also ordered to pay Mr Mason's family £200,000 in compensation.

Debbie Carroll, who heads the health and safety investigations team at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: "Matthew Mason lost his life in circumstances which were foreseeable and avoidable.

"His death could have been prevented had Linbrooke Services Limited put in place appropriate planning, supervision and protective measures to manage the risk of working at height.

"It is well known that falls from height are one of the single greatest causes of death and serious injury to workers within the construction industry.

"From the evidence heard here there needs to be an increased recognition and rigour within the industry in addressing the risks associated with the use of step ladders."

The Crown Office prosecutor showed that the company had failed to appropriately plan and risk assess the work and have in place a safe system of work.

The firm was found to have failed to adequately identify the risks involved with pulling cables through a conduit at height even though they had been informed of the problems met by a sub-contractor in an earlier attempt.

Step ladders were unsuitable for the work being carried out and there were insufficient measures in place to prevent a fall.

They also failed to adequately identify the risks involved with the use of improvised cable dispensing methods or ensure that the surrounding area was free of material which could cause injury in the event of a fall.

Linbrooke Services was contacted for comment.