Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 20 December 1929

Took a Risk.

West Melton Miner’s Life Lost “Through Absolute Carelessness.”

Rule Ignored.

Sharp comments on the neglect of safety regulations in coal-mines were made by the Coroner, Mr. W. H. Carlile, at an inquest on Wednesday on Horace Needham (45) who died in the Montagu Hospital on Monday, of injuries received in the Wath Main Colliery on December 3.

Arthur Frost, miner, 10, Hollowgate Road, West Melton, said that be and Needham were working on the night shift in No. 1 district and had instructions from the deputy, Longworth, to draw out a bar because the roof was too low to permit the safe passage of tubs. He had withdrawn two broken props and Needham was busy on the bar. Needham sent him to get a hammer and used that to knock out the bar, having by that time got it free except for one end. Immediately some dirt fell from the roof on to Needham—not enough to bury him but enough to knock him forward, and the shaft of the hammer penetrated his chest. The deputy did not give them precise instructions.

The Coroner: Isn’t it usual for the deputy to do that?—He does very often—when it’s a difficult job. Was this a difficult job?—No.

I suppose Needham had done this kind of work many times?-0h yes, he was a good man at his work.

You knew it was not the proper thing to knock out the bar with a hammer?—We both tried the roof with a pick and thought it sound. Whether it was sound or not, you knew it was not the proper thing to do what you did?—Yes.

Then why did you do it?—We were both of a mind—that it was not necessary.

But that is just how these things happen. You could easily have set a temporary prop, and used a Sylvester, couldn’t you?—Yes.

Then why didn’t you?—l can only say we didn’t think it necessary.

How long have you been working in pits? —About forty years. I should say.

Then you should have known better, shouldn’t you?—Yes.

This accident was caused by not taking a precaution which was the recognised thing to do?— Yes.

Mr. W. Scott (H.M. Inspector): Where was the Sylvester?—lt got buried a few weeks ago.

Was there one in the next place.—l could not say. There was a “cat-and-dog” in our place. You know the Coal Mines Act requires temporary supports to be set when you draw timber?—Yes.

And you didn’t do it?—No.

Mr. H. M. Martyn (manager of the colliery): When did you lose that Sylvester? —Four or five weeks ago.

Did you order another?—Yes, since the accident happened.

Why not before?—lt was lost on the other shift. We were always getting on to them to get one.

Mr. Martyn: Always the other shift!

Reginald Longworth, deputy, Campsall Field, Wath, said he gave Needham and Frost instructions to get out the bar about ten o’clock on the night of 2nd December, but he did not remind them of the regulations or tell them exactly what they were to do. “They were both experienced men and knew the rule, and I expected them to use their own judgment.”

The Coroner: That conveys to my mind that they could do as they liked.-Oh, no.

Would it not be better to tell men, in every case, whether they are experienced or not, exactly what they are to do?—lt seems so, after this.

It would make your position clearer, wouldn’t it?—Yes.

And it is the duty of a deputy, isn’t it? — Yes.

This man has lost his life entirely through negligence in not observing the regulations, hasn’t he?—Yes.

Dr. Dorothy Colver, house surgeon at the Hospital, said Needham was admitted in a state of collapse on December 3. He had a punctured wound which went between the ribs and pierced the lung. Several ribs were fractured. There was never any hope of his recovery. He died at 12-45 p.m. on December 16.

The Coroner, summing up, said: This is one of the clearest cases of  breach of the coal mines regulations that I have come across—both by the men and the deputy. The men had no right to carry out that work without setting a safety prop, and it was the duty of the deputy to instruct them how the job was to be carried out. This man has lost his life through absolute carelessness. It seems a great pity that when everything possible is being done to make for safety in coal-mines the men should fail to carry the regulations out.

A juryman: It seems to have been the management’s fault this lost Sylvester was not replaced.

The Coroner: The men should have reported it and got another one. There again it was slackness. Rather than do a little extra work they took a risk—and here is the result.

Mr Scott: If the deputy had given these men permission to knock out the bar with a hammer, it would have been within the Act.

The Coroner: But even then they should have set a safety prop. And be should not expect the men to carry out the regulations, but should instruct them to do so.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.” and the Coroner said they would leave it to the management to take some action in regard to the breach of the regulations that had been committed.