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The latter accident occurred on 11th September, and coming so soon after the other caused consternation throughout the neighbourhood. These accidents are all the more regrettable as the two sinkings forming the Dawdon Colliery had been put down without serious accidents under difficult conditions, and were practically completed. In this case, a chargeman and two sinkers were killed outright. The three men were standing on a half-cradle at the Low Main Seam Level and told another man, who was in the arching at the Low Main Seam, to rap "bend up" and he did so. When the cradle, subsequent upon this signal, was raised a little, the chargeman told the two sinkers to attach the cradle chains to other chains hanging at the sides of the shaft. They attached three out of four chains, and the chargeman told them to attach the fourth. One of the sinkers remarked that three would do, and unfortunately the chargeman, erring in his duty, did not insist upon the fourth chain being attached. A signal was then given for the cradle to be lowered steadily in order that the cradle chains might take the weight of the cradle. The cradle was lowered steadily, but it was noticed that only two out of the three cradle chains were tightening, the third remaining a little slack. A signal to stop at once given, and, on complied with, the three men on the cradle began to move about to see what was wrong. The cradle, no doubt owing to the movement of the men, suddenly dropped with a jerk as though it had previously been resting on something, and then tilted over and threw two of the men down the shaft between itself and the shaft side. It then came back into its original position and threw the third man off at the open side.

This accident was undoubtedly the result of the chargeman not insisting upon the fourth cradle chain being attached to the hanging chain. When the cradle was lowered it is possible that it may have been caught on the temporary lining of the shaft, and, the men seeing this, shook the cradle, as is their custom, to free it. On its becoming free it fell and then tilted, owing to the want of the fourth supporting chain, throwing two of the men off ; then, more than regaining its horizontal position, the third man was thrown off on the other side.

Sinking, at its best, is arduous and difficult work, and it behoves everyone to take the utmost care at all times ; men become accustomed to unusual risks and take liberties which they should not. Above all, chargemen should remember that upon their firmness in making others carry out the provisions made for their safety, valuable lives often depend.

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Sources

• 1907 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4045), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 16 Where to find this report
• 1907 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4045), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 37, Accident Number: 472 Where to find this report

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