Coroner Advocates More Safety Measures In Bush

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28897, 18 May 1959, Page 8

Coroner Advocates More Safety Measures In Bush

(New Zealand Press Association)

ROTORUA, May 16. The view that timber companies might profitably consider steps that could be taken to protect employees, such as busn trimmers, from “the unusual” type of accident, was expressed by the district Coroner (Mr ERoe) at Rotorua. He was conducting an inquest into the death of Tama Lingman, aged 19, single, a bush worker, who was killed during felling at Murupara on February 16. The Coroner, who found that death was due to hemorrhage and shock following a fracture of the skull and cerebral lacerations and a fractured left humerus, also expressed surprise that the employers, the Murupara Logging Company were not represented at the inquest. At the conclusion of the inquest, Mr Roe said: “It is generally recognised that work sucn as tree felling is a dangerous occupation, and, in the interests of the public, it is necessary that every precaution should be “It is rather strange that in all such fatal accidents as this, we are told it was the result of the unexpected. “The time is most opportune to take adequate steps to combat not only danger that can be apprehended, but also the unexpected. “It appears as if the company in this case issued instructions that trimmers must stand one tree and a half away from the tree being felled. “This is all very well, but the question is, what steps are taken to ensure that the instructions are carried out? “It is clear that here, there

is a case where supervision was lacking.” A plan of the scene was produced by Edwin David Edmonds, a leading hand, who said other workmates were standing about one tree length from the point of felling. Lingman, he said, was standing about 60ft from where the 89ft tree was being felled. In reply to the Coroner, Edmonds said he had authority to tell a trimmer to stand further away if necessary. No trimming was done when a gang was in the process of felling a tree. At the time of the accident, Edmonds could not see Lingman. He had always told workmen not to trim unless they were in a safe area, and he assumed Lingman was acting according to this instruction.