Wind forecast 'not a concern'

The men fell 80 ft to their deaths

A building site safety adviser was "not concerned" about the forecast for winds which it is claimed blew over a gantry throwing four workmen 80ft to their deaths, an inquest jury has heard.

The men were working on the gantry suspended under the Avonmouth bridge in September 1999 when it gave way and the fell to the ground.

The inquest jury has already heard that the accident on the M5 motorway bridge near Bristol happened when the structure was blown up a sloping beam.

The hearing has been told that "beam clamps" being used as brakes were "not reliable enough" and failed to stop it moving.

If we felt the wind was too strong we would do something about it John Curtis

One end of the platform detached from the beams, leaving it hanging down.

Paul Stewart, 23, from Newcastle, Andrew Rodgers, 40, from Middlesbrough, Ronald Hill, 38, from Glasgow and Jeffrey Williams, 42, from Newport, South Wales, all died from multiple injuries.

John Curtis, site safety, health and environment adviser for Costain Ltd, the main contractors, told the jury that he had seen the weather forecast for the day of the deaths and read about gusts of "up to 30mph".

On Tuesday, David Leaman told how a wind speed of 25mph would stop operations.

He also said a weather station on the site which showed wind speed was not working on the day of the accident.

'Unbelievable'

Mr Curtis told the jury that on seeing the forecast he took no action: "If we felt the wind was too strong we would do something about it."

He said the forecast was for the south west and 30mph was the speed for optimum gusts.

Mr Curtis said he found it "unbelievable" that just one "tirfor" - used for stopping the movement of gantries - was in place on the day of the accident.

He said he had visited the gantry two days before when four - the correct number - were in place.

He said he had not thought about using "end stops", which stop anything coming off the beams, and none were in place.

The hearing continues.