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Full Details

Surname
BOUSFIELD
Forename
David
Day
25
Month
11
Year
1913
Age
20
Occupation
Labourer
Mine/Quarry Name
Brandon
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Strakers & Love
Location
Brandon & Byshottles
County
Durham
Details of Event
It was necessary to paint the outside of a coal hopper, and this was done by leaning out of the window openings and using a long-handled brush. A scaffold had to be erected under each opening to stand on. Deceased and others erected a scaffold, and when he walked on to it, it collapsed and he fell into the bottom of the hopper 30 feet below. The scaffold consisted of two 9-inch by 3 inch planks lying across two 7-inch by 2.5-inch deals. The latter were nailed at one end and at a point 2 feet 6 inches farther along and then overhung cantilever-wise. The 9-inch by 3-inch planks lay on the overhanging ends. A 4-inch nail came out when deceased walked on to the scaffold and he was tilted off. This was not a proper staging to have used and deceased showed little sense in trusting it. It had been erected during the absence of the foreman.