The inquiry into the M1/Grayston Drive bridge collapse is currently underway
Construction firm Murray & Roberts’ expert witness Ric Snowden told the
M1/Grayston Drive bridge collapse inquiry that “it is common cause that wind was a trigger of the collapse of the temporary structure.” Snowden further said that the collapse to the Western direction was difficult to explain. He said the occurrence has become a subject of discussion among experts and that “there were other factors on the day responsible for the collapse to the Western side”. According to Snowden, measurements on the day showed that six minutes before the collapse there was a high wind speed of 10.1 m per second, which he described as normal. The wind was blowing in a north easterly direction. Snowden dismissed media reports made after the accident that missing bolts contributed to the collapse of the structure. “We have investigated that aspect and found it to be untrue,” he said.
Snowden took a swipe at social media reports that the concrete truck found on the scene of the accident was responsible for the collapse. He said the concrete structure on the western works had not moved for a considerable amount of time before the collapse. “Evidence from photos discount that notion as a red herring. It is quite clear that scaffolding fell on top of the truck, rather than truck hitting scaffolding.”
Background
The Department of Labour set up the Section 32 Inquiry to unearth the causes for the collapse of scaffolding work into the Grayston Drive Pedestrian and cyclist structural bridge collapse. The investigation is being held in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The inquiry is been presided by Lennie Samuel, assisted by Lesibe Raphela. Parties involved in the 14 October 2015 incident include the City of Johannesburg and the Johannesburg Development Agency, who were clients that appointed Royal HaskoningDHV as an agent. Murray & Roberts is the principal contractor and the supplier of material involved is Formscaff.
