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	Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	10th February 1934
Colliery:	East Tanfield
Company:
Cause:	Crushed by machinery
Lives Lost:	1
Category:

A screen boy, aged 14, was killed at East Tanfield Colliery, Durham. Whilst the pit was waiting for coal, the screens machinery was stopped by means of clutches and loose pulleys, but the motor was left running. The boy, having received permission from two men present, one of whom was in charge of the machinery, passed through a post and rail fence and commenced to clean up some coal which had fallen from a jigger screen at the back end of one of the plate picking belts. When coal-drawing recommenced the man in charge of the machinery, after shouting to the boy to ascertain if he was all right and receiving an affirmative reply, gave instructions for the machinery to be restarted. The boy's coat was caught between two plates at the return end of the pulley belt and he was pulled along the belt and crushed against a jigging screen above. The man in charge should not have allowed the machinery to be restarted until he had seen for himself that the boy had returned to the proper side of the fence. A shout, in such circumstances, is totally inadequate. Following the accident, arrangements were made for the work of cleaning up the coal to be done at predetermined intervals with the motors stopped and the surface foreman present to supervise the work.

Source:

1934 Mines Inspectors Report

	Scurr, Robert Hindhaugh, aged 14, Screener, he got his clothes entangled in the machinery and was drawn in; he sustained severe multiple injuries and he died a few hours after being admitted to Newcastle Infirmary, he had only worked at the pit for six weeks, Buried: Harelaw Cemetery (new)
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