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Full Details

Surname
DOTCHIN
Forename
Percival Hetherington
Day
20
Month
01
Year
1906
Age
14
Occupation
Screener
Mine/Quarry Name
Netherton
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Netherton Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Netherton
County
Northumberland
Details of Event
Deceased, son of the enginewright of the colliery, was employed picking stones from the coal as it was carried past him on a travelling belt. One of the belts was standing, and he was asked by the screen engineman to start it. He did so, after passing a fence, by means of a clutch, and then appears to have stepped on to the belt to ride back to his work, but was caught by a jigger screen, which projected nearly right over the belt, and was jammed between them. The steam was cut off at the engine immediately, but it took some time to liberate him. The belt, 4.5 feet wide, travelled at a speed of about 50 feet per minute; it was fitted with angle irons placed 2 feet apart, projecting 1.5 inches. There was only 5 feet between the end of the belt where deceased operated the clutch and the jigger screen, which was 5 feet wide, hut was cut away to a point at its termination, and deceased, after climbing on to the belt, probably proposed stepping over this pointed end. Between the jigger screen and the belt there was only a few inches. The screen engineman was prosecuted and fined for deputing his duties to another person without authority.