QUARRY FATALITY

Evening Star, Issue 20316, 26 October 1929, Page 12

QUARRY FATALITY

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH “ The evidence satisfies me that this quarry is being worked in the approved system, and that that system was reasonably safe,” stated tho Coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) in returning a verdict that the death of William James Pearson at the Public Works quarry at Mosgiel on October 14 was due to dislocation of tho neck, caused by an accidental fall. The inquest was resumed yesterday afternoon. Mr F, B. Adams represented tho department, and Mr J. P. Ward the widow and relatives of the deceased.

To Mr Ward, John Joseph Jones, overseer of the quarry, said that the men did not work by galleries, but by steps. It would bo practically impossible to work on steps 12ft wide. He did not consider work on a ledge 2ft wide any more dangerous than ordinary quarry work. He had' always had instructions to conform to 'the regulations goye'rning quarries. If a man was making a footing to work, witness thought that 2ft was safe under the circumstances. He did not consider the men were working in extreme danger. Tho loop rope system could not be used satisfactorily in this quarry, as the face was not steep enough. Witness realised that it was dangerous for men to be on a 2ft ledge like this unless they were grasping a rope. To Mr Adams, witness said that he had never had any complaints from the men that the quarry was dangerous. He did not consider that it was any more dangerous than any other quarry. The Coroner said that tho fatality occurred as tho deceased was proceeding along a ledge to a place of work. He must have lost his footing and grip of the rope, but the actual cause of the accident was only a matter of surm : se.