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Full Details

Surname
BOYER
Forename
Horace Scotney
Day
08
Month
01
Year
1913
Age
30
Occupation
Wheeler
Mine/Quarry Name
Fletton, No.4 Quarry
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
London Brick Co. Ltd
Location
Fletton
County
Huntingdonshire
Details of Event
Deceased was employed as wheelman on a steam navvy. He controlled the feed of the navvy and also swung the jib when required to tip the contents of the bucket into the muck wagon. A bucket had been raised to within 3 feet of the top of its travel and was about three parts full when the lifting chain broke and the bucket swung back down and struck the end of the revolving platform on which deceased stood. The cast-iron governing wheel was smashed by the blow and a portion of it struck him on the head and fractured his skull. Death was practically instantaneous. The chain had broken seven times previously and on each occasion had been repaired with a patent link. The link which fractured at the time of the accident was one of the original links and had given way at a defective weld. It had been examined four days prior to the accident and the defect was discovered, but as it was thickly covered with grease a thorough inspection was impossible. The whole circumstances indicated a laxity of supervision and inattention to the Special Rules.