DEATH OF TRACTOR DRIVER— Danger Of Oiling Moving Machinery Emphasised

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 October 1949, Page 3

DEATH OF TRACTOR DRIVER— Danger Of Oiling Moving Machinery Emphasised

The danger of oiling moving machinery was emphasised by witnesses and the Coroner, Mr F. F. Reid, S.M., at Greymouth yesterday dfternoon, when the inquest was concluded concerning the death of Walter Herbert Watson, aged 33, married, of Hohonu bush, who was killed while driving a bush tractor at Hohonu on August 27 last.

The deceased was alone on the tractor when the fatality occurred, but the police were able to build up a fairly clear picture of what occurred. The Coroner held that' it was highly probable that the deceased was engaged in oiling the tractor while it was in motion and that his clothing became entangled. , “On the evidence I feel it my duty to make this observation, that although the evidence is insufficient fol- me to hold that the deceased was in fact engaged in oiling operations while the tractor was in motion, nevertheless the evidence of the witness Hall, the presence of an oil can on the deck board and oil on the track, and the fact that the deceased’s jacket and jersey were the last articles-, removed from the universal joint, render it highly probable that the deceased was engaged in oiling while the tractor was in motion,” said Mr Reid, in his rider. Warning To Others “I make this observation, not by way of censure on the deceased, but I feel it my duty to make it as a warning to others engaged in oiling similar equipment,” added Mr Reid. As experts have said today, the practice is a very dangerous one, as the manufacturers warn, and this unfortunate occurrence has emphasised it again. Beyond that I do not think it proper for me to comment.” The Coroner’s finding was that tne cause of death was cerebral lacerations, accidently sustained when the deceased’s clothing became entangled in the mechanism of a moving rail tractor being driven by him, there being insufficient evidence to determine how the clothing became so entangled. , . . , The inquest was opened originally by the District Coroner, Mr M. J. Fogarty, J.P. but at the preliminary hearing Mr W. D. Taylor, counsel for the relatives of the deceased, objected to Mr Fogarty acting in the capacity of coroner, on the ground that he was an “interested party,” as secretary, of the insurance company Which had indemnified the deceased’s employers. The matter was referred to the Department of Justice and it was subsequently announced that Mr Reid would complete the hearing. Prior to the first witness being heard yesterday, reference to the change was made by Mr Taylor. He said that he desired to make the explanation that there was nothing personal in the matter, as far as Mr Fogaity was concerned. “We were interested mainly in the principle of the thing that the inquest should be taken by someone entirely disinterested, added Mr Taylor. Mr Reid: I quite agree. I think that the correct course is being taken. It is no reflection at all on Mr Fogarty, but th'e position is such that it is preferable that such a course should be taken.”

The inquest proceedings were conducted by Sergeant B. W. Wootton. Mr W. D. Taylor appeared for the relatives of the deceased and Mr A. M. Jamieson for the deceased’s employers, United Sawmills Ltd. Mrs Anne Josephine Watson, widow of the deceased, said that she and the children waved goodbye to the deceased as he left the skids near the house at about 11.10 a.m. When he left there were three trucks travelling ahead of the tractor which he was driving and she knew that he was returning to the bush for another load of logs. Driverless Tractor

A winch driver employed by United Sawmills Ltd., Te Kinga, Sidney Lawrence Rossiter, said that about 12.10 he was standing by the winch, about two and a quarter miles from the skids at the lake when he saw the tractor pass, without a driver. He ran over and stopped it and then saw clothing wrapped round the shaft and blood smeared around the tractor. With Keith Hall, the bush “boss,” he went down the tram and about a mile and a-half from the winch they found the naked body of the deceased lying face downwards, practically in the centre of the track.

The witness added that the tractor was in top gear when he stopped it and in that gear it would travel about four ipiles an hour. Keith Hall, the bush “boss,” said he was in the bush when he heard Rossiter call out that something was wrong. and pointed to clothing wrapped round the universal joint of the tractor."

The witness gave similar evidence regarding the finding of the body on the tram and added that it was stripped, with the exception of boots and socks and a small portion of underpants. For about 50 yards back from the body there was blood scattered about. An oil can and a covering board, which covered the drive shaft of the tractor, were lying alongside the tram about where the first indications of blood could be seen. The witness said that he knew there were about four boards covering the shaft. There was a hole where boards were missing over the universal joint. There had been boards over the hole, but they had been broken and never replaced. He had seen the deceased go along the track oiling as the tractor was travelling. Replying to questions by Mr Taylor, the witness said he did not think there had been boards on the tractor for a very long time. The boards could be put on, but did not. last very long, being knocked about by the logs. #

Clothing Caught Up Constable G. D. who gave details of an inspection of the track and tractor on the day of the accident, said that there was a quantity of clothing tightly wound round the universal joint and shaft. He noted that while he was unwinding the clothing from the universal joint, portions of the leather jacket and blue jersey came off the universal joint last. When the clothing hadbeen removed he saw that the pins through the universal joint, were secured by means of six-inch nails which were bent over, the ends being hooked back. The end of one of these nails was hooked through the leather jacket and blue jersey. On examining the tractor, added

the witness, he saw that there were only three covering boards over the shaft and universal joint and the board picked up at the scene of the accident would make four. With four Board's in place there Wduld still be an opening left over the Uhiversal joint of about three feet by two ieet. “I know from my own experience that it is the custom of some tractor drivers to lubricate the universal jbint and ; the. housing while, the tractor is in motion. This is a practice Which my department does,its best to discourage,” said Ernest Barrow, bush inSpector at Greymouth. He added that he had made an inspection of the locality and had found that the track complied with requirements in every way and was in reasonable order.

The witness, dealing with his inspection of the tractor; confirmed the constable’s evidence regarding the exposure of the rear universal joint and the use of six-inch nails to hold the gudgeon pins of the joint. He added that the tapered cotter connecting the joint also protruded for a distance of one and s! half inches on either side. The cotter was standard equipment.

Examined by Mr Taylor, the witness said that at the Hohonu bush it was not usual for two men to take the logs between the bush and the lake, but it was the general practice in the district. To Mr Jamieson: It depended on the state of the track and the size of the timber whether two men would be necessary. In the witness’s opinion, two men were not necessary on the Hohonu tram.

The inspector of machinery at Greymouth, Donald James McKenzie, gave similar evidence. He added that the universal joint while revolving would readily catch the clothing of any person coming into contact with it, with serious results. The nails may have contributed towards the accident in this case, but the joint itself would readily cause such an accident, even if the nails had been replaced by split pins. Joint Completely Exposed

The witness said that he had inspected the tractor on November 5, 1948. It was then in satisfactory order and a certificate was issued for its use for 12 months. One of the deck boards had been found on the track, but even if this was in place the universal joint was completely exposed. “In my opinion it is an extremely dangerous practice to oil any machinery while it is in motion,” concluded the witness.

Mr Taylor: Would you ■■ consider the fixation of the gudgeon pins as satisfactory from a safety point of view?

The witness: It would be very hard to say whether they were more dangerous than split pins. Mr Taylor: Would you have approved the use of the nails if you had seen them before the accident? The witness: No.

Replying to further questions, the witness said that with the two boards shown on the plan of the machine in position, he would regard the universal joint as securely covered, but there would bo a hazard with one board missing. To Mr Jamieson: When I carried out my inspection in November the boards were in position and I could not say whether nails or split pins were in use on the gudgeon pins.

Deck Boards Missing

The Coroner: I take' it that the probability is that at least one board was missing from the tractor whileit was in use? ? The witness: Two deck planks at least were missing altogether from the machine at the time of the accident and the universal joint was completely exposed. The Coroner: Assuming that the deceased had knelt on the deck planks to oil the universal joint, he would have been exposing himself to the hazard of his clothing becoming entangled in the joint? The witness: Yes.

Details of a post-mortem examination which he performed was given by Dr H. S. Ray, who said that death was due to cerebral lacerations. The Coronei' returned a verdict as stated above.