Single Record

Full Details

Surname

McBURNIE

Forename

John

Day

15

Month

01

Year

1927

Age

Occupation

Shale Miner

Mine/Quarry Name

Westwood

Mineral Worked

Oil Shale

Owner

Scottish Oils Ltd

Location

West Calder

County

Linlithgowshire

Details of Event

15 January 1927: Mining Fatality at West Calder - A miner named John M'Burnie, a married man, who resided at Mid-Calder, was seriously injured by a fall of material from the roof of the workings in Westwood Shale Mine, belonging to Scottish Oils (Ltd.). He was conveyed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, and died shortly after admission. [Scotsman 17 January 1927] Mid Calder Shale Mine Fatality -John M'Burnie, miner, Mid Calder, was seriously injured by a fall of material in the workings of Westwood shale mine, belonging to Scottish Oils Ltd, West Calder. He was conveyed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, but died shortly after admission. [Hamilton Advertiser 22 January 1927] FAI record – John McBurnie, shale miner, Main Street, Mid Calder, died on 14 January 1927 at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, from injuries sustained on the same day in Westwood Shale Pit, Livingston, when a large piece of shale fell upon him. NAS Reference: SC41/13/1927/2 Information from the Inspectors of Mines - 1927: Falls of side At Westwood (Oil Shale) Pits, Linlithgowshire, 15th January, an overhanging slab of oil shale in a working place 9 ft. high had been seen by the night fireman to require to be taken down : he marked it and instructed the miner to do this. The night shift miner was unsuccessful with his pinch bar and set a prop to it. The day fireman at his inspection saw the slab required to be taken down and told the day shift miner, who said he would see to it. This miner did nothing to it, except that when firing two shots three hours later he knocked out the prop which was set to the shale, but he re-set it when the slab did not fall at the firing of his shots. The under-manager and fireman an hour later visited the place during their general inspection and, after examining the slab, said it would be better down : they advised him to put a shot in it. They had not been gone long from the place when the shale fell and killed the man. If the officials had exercised their authority and definitely instructed the man to take down at once the shale which he had left, in spite of repeated advice, the accident should not have happened.