Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	26th February 1914
Colliery:	Springwell
Cause:	Fell down shaft
Lives Lost:	1

An unusual form of accident which caused the death of a lad, occurred at Springwell Colliery, Durham. A staple 20 fathoms deep was used for lowering coal from one seam to another, and was provided with covered cages. Owing to the fact that a new rope had been put on, the cages ran very stiffly. The rope examiner found that his own weight would not take the cage down, so he took two lads with him into the cage. Even this proved insufficient to lower the cage, so the overhead drum had to be turned by means of a winch fixed there for the purpose. This was done by using a handle which was placed upon the pinion wheel shaft. Unfortunately, the lad who was turning this lost control of it as soon as the cage restarted. The handle then flew off and fell through a space in the planking on to the top of the cage; it pierced the cage cover and struck one of the lads upon the head, and caused him to fall out of the cage. As the staple was not used for riding men there were no gates on the cage. The rope examiner committed a grave error of judgment in taking the lads into the cage with him. The handle upon the winch was afterwards made so that it could not come off.

Source:

1914 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 8023)

	Holt, William, aged 14, Tub Coupler, Deceased and another lad were taken by a rope examiner and were being lowered down a staple 20 fathoms deep, between two seams. The staple was not used for lowering men, and the cages though provided with a cover had no gates. The cages ran stiffly owing to the newness of the rope, and the two lads were taken to add weight to the descending cage, and even this not being sufficient it was necessary to work a winch attachment on the overhead drum actuated by a handle fixed on to the pinion wheel shaft. The lad turning this lost control of it as soon as the cage restarted, and the handle flying off fell through a space in the planking on to the cage top, and piercing the cover struck deceased on the head knocking him out of the cage. The whole of the proceeding was irregular, and will not be repeated. The handle was afterwards fastened on the winch.
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