Chairman's opening remarks

I want very briefly to describe one or two of the extraordinary range of accidents that I have met in 30 years' experience both as contractor and as consultant, working in various parts of the world.

The first fatal accident that I saw was on the Birchenough Bridge in Rhodesia, when an African native stepped backwards off a staging forgetting that he was 80 ft up in the air. He fell to the ground and was killed. That made me realize the need for safety parapets, wherever they can be put. During the erection of the Howrah Bridge, Calcutta, we provided a solid 5 ft wide timber gangway, 2000 ft long, at deck level right across the river. Thinking of the experience in Rhodesia I had two railings provided on each side, 3 ft 6 in. and 2 ft above the floor. In spite of that two men somehow managed to fall off and were drowned. No matter what you do, you cannot win all the time; but it must not stop you trying.