'Lack of knowledge' led to the death of Bristol builder, inquest concludes

Mr Anstey died the day after the wall collapsed onto him

The lack of on-site knowledge and experience led to the death of a builder, an inquest has concluded.

Gary Anstey, 57, from Bristol was killed by a collapsing wall at Swainswick School near Bath in 2019.

The wall was being backfilled with stone to help with drainage before it collapsed.

Coroner Nicholas Lane said that the lack of on-site detailed knowledge and experience of the construction of the type of wall led to Mr Anstey's death.

On 19 March 2019, Mr Anstey's fellow H Mealing & Sons employee, Roger Jefferies, was backfilling the wall with stone to provide drainage, before it fell.

The coroner concluded that backfilling against an unfinished retaining wall was a contributing factor to Mr Anstey's death.

"The direct weight and pressure of the presence of a digger in close proximity to the wall and the subsequent compression of materials against the incomplete wall was a contributing factor in the collapse of the wall," said Mr Lane.

'Lack of experience'

Mr Anstey was taken by helicopter from the scene to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where he died from his injuries the following day.

Mr Lane said: "There was a lack of on-site detailed knowledge and experience of the construction of this type of retaining wall, and as a consequence there was a lack of appreciation that the wall may collapse when backfilling against a full-height, single-layer retaining wall.

"Due to the enclosed space between the wall and the school building Mr Anstey's head and upper body were entrapped where he sustained serious injuries."