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Full Details

Surname
DUNN
Forename
William
Day
20
Month
09
Year
1909
Age
36
Occupation
Shifter
Mine/Quarry Name
Black Boy
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Bolckow, Vaughan & Co. Ltd
Location
Shildon
County
Durham
Details of Event
The timbering in a main engine plane was being raised throughout. The ends of the running baulks across the engine plane at a refuge hole had been set on punch props standing on a crossing baulk at the mouth of the refuge hole. The management was not satisfactory to the Master Shifter and he ordered this man and his marrow to raise the crossing baulk high enough to take the ends of the running baulks and so to do away with the punch props. When Dunn was making a hole in the floor to set a prop under one of the running baulks, the side stone above the refuge hole came over and knocked the crossing baulk and punch props out; this let the running baulks and the stone above them, down on to him. He died the following day from shock. It is very likely that the original timbering had loosened the side stone, but it is to be regretted that the crossing baulk was not put in directly beneath the running baulks in the first instance; the punch props ought not to have been used or needed.