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Full Details

Surname
LEIGH
Forename
Joseph James
Day
23
Month
01
Year
1914
Age
26
Occupation
Hooker-On
Mine/Quarry Name
Florence
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Florence Coal & Iron Co. Ltd
Location
Longton
County
Staffordshire
Details of Event
The shaft cages are loaded and unloaded at two landings, and deceased was the hooker-on at the bottom landing. The top landing is at the level of the haulage road, and the full tubs are lowered four at a time to the bottom landing by means of a gravity cage. The empty tubs are raised in like manlier at the other side of the shaft. Both cages are controlled by the same hand brake. Obviously, the empty tubs should have been placed on their cage first before loading the full side one, but on this occasion the full side one was loaded first, and two of the tubs being loaded with dirt, the brake was unable to hold the load and the cage descended. At this moment, deceased was engaged in cleaning some dirt from underneath, and was crushed by the descending cage. He had not given any warning of his intention to the top landing attendants as was his practice on all previous occasions.