South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 30 January 1943
Denaby Miner’s Death
Coroner’s Stern Words at Inquest
Recording a verdict of ““Accidental Death’ at an inquest at the Fullerton Hospital, Denaby, on Friday, on Ernest Gibson (20), collier, 81, Tickhill Street, Denaby, the Doncaster District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile) commented that it had become rather irksome to him to hear witnesses say that in future they would carry out instructions. He said that both deputies concerned had frankly admitted that they had failed in their duty.
“There will come a time,” he said, “when other methods will have to be taken to deal with folk who fail to do their duty. Although the evidence in this case does not point to criminal negligence for which a verdict of ‘Manslaughter’ could be recorded, I often feel I would like to punish those responsible and not just pass over their actions with a warning as to future conduct.”
Dr. John McArthur, Denaby, said he attended Gibson on Tuesday at the Fullerton Hospital at 6 p.m. He had a fractured base of the skull and upper jaw, a fractured nose, and a wound completely severing his lip. He died on Wednesday, cause of death being shock due to multiple injuries.
Mr. J. T. E. Collins (representing the Y.M.A.): Would there have been any hope for him if he had been operated on immediately ?—No, the case was hopeless.
Cyril Ramsey, 11, Dryden Road, Mexborough, collier, employed at Denaby Main, said he worked in the North-West District of the Parkgate seam. On Tuesday afternoon he was sent to work in the 202s heading with Gibson, Galvin and Reid. He was told to go and see to the timbering, and had never worked there before. The deputy in charge did not warn him of the state of the place, and he had to use his own judgment.
Coroner: Did you know the timbering regulations stipulated by the Management? —Yes. sir.
Thought It Was Safe.
In his opinion the conditions were satisfactory. There was a prop set underneath a pothole and another 4ft. away from it. The face was partly finished. He tested the pothole and found it was all right for the time being. There were bars within 4ft. of the pothole, and he thought it was safe. The loader was on the right side of the conveyor to the right of the pothole. They got the coal from the left of the pothole first. Gibson was manipulating the loader and the other men were helping to fill the coal.
Coroner: The instructions of the Management are to set bars at certain intervals. According to their specifications there should have been one over the pothole.
Witness: We couldn’t have got the loader in if we had put one there.
Ramsey said they filled five or six tubs of coal and then Gibson brought the loader to the left of the conveyor in order to fill the remainder of the coal. They could not get forward at all until they had moved the prop under the pothole. He tested the pothole and took the prop out and tried with pick and crowbar to pull the roof down, but could not do so. He thought it was safe, and while Gibson was straightening his load witness set three props on the left and the loader went forward under the pothole. He then heard a crack followed by a loud bang which sounded like a heavy stone-fall on to the loader, and on looking round he saw that Gibson was missing. He rushed round to the loader which was still running, intending to stop it, but before he could reach it Gibson had turned it off himself. He then went to the assistance of Gibson who was in a crouching position under the tail of the loader. One of his legs was underneath the stone which witness moved with Galvin’s help. The stone had come from the side of the pothole, but the pothole had come down as well. The stone was about one yard by six inches. Witness looked at Gibson and suspecting a fracture of the jaw sent for the deputy. Gibson was given first aid and removed to hospital.
Up to the time of the accident the deputy had not been near, and witness was the senior man on the job. When he was sent he thought it was an awkward job, and he had had no previous experience of that particular working.
Coroner: Do you mean to tell me that you were sent to take charge of something you had never seen before ?—Yes, sir.
Coroner: Did the deputy know you had never worked, there before? —I do not know.
Regular Men Absent.
In reply to H.M. Inspector of Mines, witness said that he was sent on the job because the regular men were absent.
H.M. Inspector: Were there any bars lying about available for use if necessary?—Yes.
Witness said he knew nothing whatever about that kind of work.
Mr. Hulley (representing the Colliery Management): It is only fair to say that you had prepared rooms for the loader previously and also visited the spot when men had been working there?—Yes.
He did not think that that pothole had hit Gibson, but the stone.
Thomas Galvin, filler, 66, Annerley Street, Denaby, said he had worked at the place for two or three months. Although he was a filler he had a good idea of the system of timbering but naturally Ramsey did not consult him about the line of action taken. He was away from the glace when the prop was removed, but he had every confidence in Ramsey.
Thomas Wallis, 49, Garden Lane, Conisbrough, deputy in charge on the day of the accident, said that the colliery deputies had received instructions from the management to set bars every four feet as soon as ever it was possible. That system had been in operation for two months since he had been there and before then. He was also in charge the previous day when the pothole was showing, and they tested it and tried to bring it down. It was impossible to do this and so they had two legs set under it. The remainder of the face was timbered in the usual fashion. That particular instance was contrary to usual rule. In place of the two props under the pothole there could have been two bars set middle-legged, but in his opinion it was safer to leave the props. There was no night shift, and he thought the morning shift would alter the support automatically as they advanced. The deputy in charge of the morning shift when he handed over to him said everything was all right. When the regular men did not turn up for work, he instructed Ramsey to go into the spot, knowing that Ramsey had been a heading worker and the system in operation was similar.
Coroner: Do you think it was fair considering what happened to send those men to work there with an inexperienced man?—Yes, I do.
Witness said apart from telling Ramsey to watch the timbering he gave him no further instructions. He admitted that it was an oversight on his part that he had not enquired as to the condition of the pothole from the morning shift deputy. If he had known he would have gone straight in.
Mr. Collins: Is it true to say that Gibson was not a machine operator? — No. Gibson invariably operated machines.
James Albert George Moss, 30, Tickhill Square, Denaby, the deputy in charge of the district on the Tuesday morning shift said he visited the spot at 1.20 a.m. when the pothole was adequately supported.
Coroner: In spite of that you had not complied with the management’s Instructions ?—No, sir.
Witness said that he told Wallis that it was properly timbered, but he did not tell him that everything was in order.
Coroner, to the last witness: Do you agree with the latter statement ?
—No, I do not.
The Coroner said that although it was an unusual system of working instructions were given by the management with a view to the safety of the men. These instructions were given to all deputies. The obvious thing to do in Ramsey’s position when he lacked confidence was to send for the deputy. The deputy on the previous shift to that during which the accident occurred had failed to carry out these instructions and also to warn the deputy on the next shift. The latter had failed to make sufficient enquiry and had also failed to see that the management’s instructions were complied with.