Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 18 October 1929

“Unaccountable”

Curious Accident at Wath

Killed by Scraper.

A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned at the inquest at Wath on Tuesday, conducted by Colonel Connell, with a jury, on David Hume Robinson, a Durham man, who recently came to the district, who lodged at 15. Beech Road. Wath, and who was killed while engaged on the scraper – conveyor at the Wath Main Colliery en Saturday morning.

Deceased’s father, David Hume Robinson, of 39 Church Street. Murton, co. Durham, said his son left home a fortnight ago, last Monday to take a job under Simon Carves. Ltd. of Manchester, the well-known by-produce oven manufacturers, at the coal washery at Wath Main Colliery. Deceased had been formerly employed by the firm, and was conversant with their type of work. He was trained as blacksmith and acetylene welder.

Clifford Dockers, fitter, Leigh (Lancs.) said he was working with Robinson on Saturday, and had been doing so for at least 18 months. On Saturday morning they were preparing the scraper conveyor for running. According to the instructions of witness’s immediate superior the conveyor, which had been supplied by some other firm, required some adjustment. They were engaged on that on Friday afternoon, and on Saturday morning were preparing the conveyor for running. It had not been run in witness’s presence before they started it it then and deceased met his death.

Under witness’s instructions. Robinson was preparing to cut out a metal panel to get at the tension screw of the machine. Witness then started the conveyor with the object of finding whether it was stuck before he altered the tension. He warned Robinson before moving the conveyor. He called out to Robinson, who was at the other end of the building. “I am going to move the conveyor, Dave.” Robinson replied “All right.” Witness and Robinson had similarly tested other conveyors together.

Witness then set the conveyor in motion. To do so he had to go to the engine house some distance away. About a minute would dawdle between his getting Robinson’s “All right’ , and the actual starting of the conveyor. The conveyor only moved about six inches before he stopped it again; his object in starting it was to satisfy itself that it was “free,” and the six inches of movement was quite sufficient for that.

The Coroner, who had examined the place before opening the inquest, noted a chalk mark on the panel which was to have been removed, and asked how far Robinson would have to be off the floor to reach the panel to put the chalk mark there. Witness replied. “About 2ft 6in.”

After stopping the conveyor witness did one or two jobs on and about his motor, and then went back to where Robinson was, because he needed Robinson’s assistance to move some cylinders. That was five or ten minutes after the conveyor was moved. Witness called down to Robinson—that end of the conveyor was in a disused hopper–and got no reply. He then went down and found Robinson hanging, his head caught by one of the blades of the conveyor. As there were other noises going on it was possible that Robinson did not hear the starting of the motor. To get in that position he must have had his head up between two blades of the scraper. Witness had never known a similar accident.

The Coroner; Was it an error of judgment on your part to move the scraper?.—No.

Had deceased time to get clear of the two blades of the scraper — He said All right.” That was the understood thing between us.

In the absence of medical evidence, Mr. M. C. Martyn, general manager ot the Wnth Main Collierien, gave evidence sit examining deceased after he was extricated, and in his opinion death was due to a broken neck.

The Coroner said they had two men there engaged on a very dangerous machine, but one which was not so dangerous to them because they had experience in the handling of it. But on that occasion deceased, for some unaccountable reason, and although he got a warning that the machine was to be moved, put his head in such a position that he could not escape when the movement occurred. The only question they had to consider was whether anyone wag to blame for the occurrence, and from the evidence he could not see that they could say that anyone was.

Mr. Martyn for the Colliery Company, and Mr. James Chapman, solicitor, Manchester, for Simon Carves. Ltd., expressed sympathy with deceased’s family.