Single Record

Full Details

Surname

TAYLOR

Forename

Oliver

Day

31

Month

12

Year

1904

Age

55

Occupation

Screenman

Mine/Quarry Name

Dipton

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

John Bowes & Ptrs Ltd

Location

Dipton

County

Durham

Details of Event

Four ordinary screens placed side by so as enable two 10-ton trucks standing the same line of rails to be loaded once two screens being used for each truck. A wooden platform on which the screeners work extends between and beyond the screens and as the lower part of the screens themselves extend nearly halfway across the trucks the coals fall into the trucks through two rectangular openings each end. This makes it necessary to move the trucks forward when nearly loaded so as to complete the loading. Deceased was on the top of the coals the first truck at the opening next to the second truck when one of the screeners went to the rail level to move the front truck forward. He took out the chock below one of the leading wheels of the first truck and as it moved forward by gravity he placed the chock on the rail a little further forward to stop it. The morning was frosty and rime on the rails caused the chock to skid and the first truck was bumped into and deceased fell off between the two trucks, and one of the wheels of the second truck passed partly over his legs. He was released at once but died from shock and loss of blood. The rails were old and not in good condition and wooden legs supporting the screens were too close to the rails and interfered with the freedom of action of anyone moving the trucks. It was not clear that deceased was aware that the second truck was to be moved although the screener who moved it stated at the inquest that he shouted to the men above him before he took the chock out.