By Steven Bell

CLEVELAND BRIDGE, the company responsible for the multi-million pound repairs on the Tay Road Bridge is conducting a review of safety practices following two accidents in the space of a week.

It emerged yesterday that the first of the incidents, both of which involved high pressure water jets, was so serious it left a man in intensive care.

The workman involved was so seriously ill that doctors said he should not be interviewed about the circumstances until his condition had improved.

An investigation was launched following this incident.

A second incident on Wednesday led to a man receiving hospital treatment for a serious leg injury.

It was only after the second accident involving the equipment that a decision was made to temporarily suspend that phase of the project.

Both accidents involved a sub-contractor brought in to carry out hydro-jetting work to remove concrete.

There are only around 20 firms in Europe able to carry out this highly- specialised task.

It is thought the sub- contractor’s management has been in regular contact with the two injured men.

A Cleveland Bridge spokesperson said, “We are very concerned for the two gentlemen and their families, and remain in contact with the sub-contractors to assure ourselves of their recovery.

“All (hydro-jetting) activity has been stopped on site, and we are working closely with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to investigate the nature of the incidents and ensure that any safety practices that need to be put in place are put in place.”

The HSE has sent an inspector to the scene as part of an investigation that may take several weeks.

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

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

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.

Cleveland Bridge was unable to say yesterday whether the suspension of the hydro-jetting of the main pillars would delay the completion of the project.