Description

Number 59 on the list occurred at Lofthouse Mines, on the 26th of September, at about 12.30 p.m., causing the death of Thomas Row, and engine plane man.

It was part of deceased’s duty to oil the return wheels used in connection with the endless rope haulage. These wheels are placed underneath the road, and before deceased went down into the hole made to receive the wheel, he should have given an agreed signal to the man in charge of the engine, who would have at once stopped the rope, and thus the wheel, so that it could be oiled ; when this was done the signal should have been repeated, and the engine-man would then know it was safe to start the haulage again.

On the day in question, however, deceased neglected to do this ; he went down into the wheel hole when the wheel was in motion, commenced to oil it, and was caught, and so terribly crushed that it was with some difficulty that he was extricated.

This accident should never have happened. Deceased’s neglect to carry out his duty, which was very simple, and entailed little or no extra labour, was the cause of it.

I understand he had worked in this mine for 25 years, and was usually a most careful man, and this makes it all the more difficult to account fir his neglect on this occasion, and cost him his life.

Sources

• 1895 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8074), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 14 Where to find this report
• 1895 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8074), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 26, Accident Number: 59 Where to find this report

Researchers

 Return    Return to Top