| Date: | 1925 |
| Colliery: | South Hetton |
| Company: | |
| Cause: | Fall of stone |
| Lives Lost: | 1 |
| Category: | |
I have already pointed out that the use of a safety contrivance is compulsory, in all cases without exception, for withdrawing timber from the waste or goaf ; elsewhere a safety contrivance should be used whenever its use is possible, and sufficient temporary supports should be set so as to secure the safety of the persons employed. At South Hetton Colliery, Durham, a stoneman was killed by a fall of roof while assisting to alter the position of supports at a junction. Deceased and two other stonemen had to move two crossing baulks 12 in. inbye. The two baulks were 6 in. apart and upon them rested the ends of six baulks, which supported the roof of the roadway. The roof was known to be bad. The first crossing baulk was moved and reset. A middle prop was then set under the second crossing baulk and the end props removed. While deceased was using a mell to loosen the middle prop, a fall of roof occurred, measuring 12 ft. by 15 ft. and 5 ft. 6 in. thick, and one man was killed outright. Eight baulks were canted out. If, as ought to have been done, temporary props had been set under each of the six baulks resting on the crossing baulks, or, if a safety contrivance had been used for withdrawal of supports, this fatality would probably have been prevented.
| Source: | 1925 Mines Inspectors Report |
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