By Steven Bell

AN INDUSTRIAL accident on the Tay Road Bridge, which resulted in a workman requiring hospital treatment for a serious injury, was the second at the site in the space of a week.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a probe into the “identical” incidents.

The most recent accident occurred on Wednesday as a 41-year-old man worked with a high pressure hose from scaffolding under the bridge.

The man, who has not been named, had to be lifted from the scaffolding by a crane before being taken to Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital suffering from what sources say is a serious knee injury.

A spokesman for the HSE said, “There was a very similar accident last week at the same site and involving a similar piece of equipment.

“We already knew about that, and now with an identical accident we have two people seriously ill in hospital.

“We have started an investigation and an inspector is at the site.”

The previous incident also involved a workman using hose equipment powerful enough to blast through concrete.

The phase of the work involving high-pressure jets has been shut down voluntarily following discussions between contractors and the police.

It is believed that the contractors were in the process of reviewing work practices following the first accident when this latest accident occurred.

“We are obviously concerned about the fact that there have been two similar incidents,” said the HSE spokesman.

“One of the things we will be looking at is what the working practices were like.”

Part of the investigation will look at the high pressure hose equipment, and it may be that specialists will have to be brought in.

“We can’t say how long the investigation is likely to take,” added the HSE spokesman.

“It’s possible that we will be on site for a few days, then it may be a month or more after that.”

Yesterday a spokesman for the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board said staff would “offer any help as necessary” to the HSE investigation.

Work to replace the 700 bearings, which lie on top of the bridge’s 42 columns, and on which the road surface rests, got under way in August 2005, and is due to continue until November.