A workman who fell to his death from the Forth Rail Bridge should not have been on the section of the walkway where he was.

Robert MacDonald, 52, fell 150ft before landing on scaffolding near the railway tracks while working at night on January 27, 2010.

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) has found the grandfather, from Harthill, North Lanarkshire, would not have died if he had not been taking a shortcut on the bridge.

Mr MacDonald was one of a night gang of four men working for subcontractors Thyssen Krup Palmers, who were stripping and painting the bridge.

Mr MacDonald was working with Joe McGinley and Michael Muir. The three men had expected to be working at one of the highest points on the bridge where they had left their tools.

Instead they were assigned to another section, which left the men having to climb 19 ladders to retrieve their tools.

But they decided to take a shortcut through an "unauthorised" walkway. The grates were missing on a section of the route and Mr MacDonald fell through the gap to his death.

Sheriff Ian Dunbar, who heard the FAI at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, said the accident could have been prevented.

In his ruling, he said: "Unfortunately the main conclusion which must be reached from the evidence led before the inquiry is that Mr MacDonald need not have died. Had he and his companions not taken an unauthorised walking route, he would not have fallen where he did.

"They knew it was unauthorised and therefore that there might be a hazard but they had no idea what that hazard might have been. Had they gone to their place of work by the approved and authorised route they would not have been on the top unauthorised walkway of the Inchgarvie Cantilever and thus exposing themselves to risk.

"The conclusion that I have reached in relation to this matter is that there is very little that any of the companies involved could have done by way of precaution to prevent the accident which resulted in death.

"I would also wish to once again express my sympathy to the family of Mr MacDonald.

"It was clear that Mr MacDonald was a very well liked and respected gentleman who will be sadly missed by both his family and friends. His death was tragic and affected the lives of many people. The impact that his death had on some of his workmates who gave evidence was obvious to all who were in the court at the time."