| Disasters - Names |
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Disasters - Names | ||
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| Date: | 28th November 1894 |
| Colliery: | Murton |
| Cause: | (See description below) |
| Lives Lost: | 1 |
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| Description | |
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Number 69 on the list also occurred at Murton Colliery, on the 28th of November last, about 1 o'clock p.m., causing the death of William Hollis, a landing lad.
An empty set was being taken into the workings from the shaft, and when it got to the first winch, where the ropes are changed, if it is necessary to do so, deceased, who had charge of the winch, hung his chain on to the rope, and was preparing to pull it in so that it could be coupled to another, when the engineman took the set away, without a signal to do so, and the winch handle flew round and hit him on the head, so seriously injuring him that he died on the 19th of December.
The winch was provided with a pall and also had a loose handle; this pall should always be put over before the handle is put on, but in this ease deceased had not done this. He had put the handle on, and although one of the witnesses at the inquest said he was reaching over at the time the set was drawn away to put the pall over, I doubt it very much.
The engineman was to blame for taking the set away after he had stopped it, before getting a signal to do so, and at the inquest was warned to be more careful in future. I hope he will give heed to this warning.
I, and also my assistants, have always been most particular about winches being provided with palls, and I believe there are very few in this district which have not got them on. The loose handle is also an additional safeguard against accidents of this description, and if only the boys, and officials in charge of them would exercise care in their use, it would not be my painful duty to have to report cases of this kind year after year.
| Source: | 1894 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7667), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian. |
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| Fatalities | |
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Hollis, William, aged 17, Landing Lad, Severe injury to head by winch handle while coupling ropes. Died 19th December | |
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