The driver of the bin lorry which crashed in Glasgow killing six people was off work for more than three weeks due to fainting, a fatal accident inquiry has heard.

The lorry careered out of control in Glasgow city centre days before Christmas injuring 10 people and killing six, including three members of a Dumbarton family.

The inquiry was shown an employment record from driver Harry Clarke’s previous job with First Bus showing was he absent for three and half weeks.

The record shows Mr Clarke was off sick from April 7-30 2010 due to a 'vasovagal episode' - fainting.

The inquiry previously heard Mr Clarke had ‘blacked out’ behind the wheel of a bus in 2010.

Giving evidence on the sixth day of the inquiry at Glasgow Sheriff Court Douglas Gellan, area manager for land and environmental services for Glasgow City Council, said refuse collectors received ‘threats’ on the streets following the tragic crash on December 22.

He said since the crash no major changes have been made to collections in George Square where the accident occurred but the council decided to remove larger vehicles from pedestrian precincts out of ‘sensitivity’ following the accident.

He confirmed that council risk assessments do not contain information about passengers using vehicle controls if a driver is unwell but do have information covering vehicles moving on open highways and potential collisions He said no special arrangements are made for times of high pedestrian volumes such as Christmas time and that drivers make the ultimate decision on whether to travel along very busy roads.

Mr Gellan said driver’s licences are checked four times a year.

He said Mr Clarke completed a number of driver training courses and would have been told at driver training in August 2011 to report feeling unwell before work.

The inquiry heard by the time Mr Clarke joined the cleansing department he had had three separate medical assessments.

Mr Clarke had to fill out a form before starting work with the council which stated he had missed seven days of work in the previous two years due to flu.

The inquiry heard Mr Clarke worked driving a bus for children with special needs before moving to the cleansing department and he went the through interview and medical assessment process whilst moving between council jobs.

The inquiry was shown a Bupa health assessment form filled out by Mr Clarke in 2011 in which he declared he had no days off work.

The inquiry before Sheriff John Beckett QC, continues.