WORKMEN ELECTROCUTED.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13772, 8 January 1917, Page 1

WORKMEN ELECTROCUTED.

CORONER'S INQUIRY,, DANGEROUS BRACTrCES. (Per Pross Association.) rCHRISTCHURCII, January 'II At the inquest on Benson Blackbiirne, who was killed by a fall from an electric wire at Fendalfon, evidence showed that deceased was not wearing a bodybelt at the time of the accident, although h'c was working among (he live wires, The coroner said it was a case, of "familiarity breeds contempt," The engineer to the Waimairi County Council said lie had given instructions that body-belts should be worn, ITb had employed men from the city who refused to wear the belt, which they had termed "childish." lie explained that the men, when working on the city wires, sat on a sack laid .over them.

The 'coroner, Mr H, W, Bishop, remarked that he would not like to sit on a live wire covered only by a sack. The. engineer in charge was taking a great risk in employing men without seeing that'the necessary precautions were observed, He further said that all pos-, sible precautions should he taken where hnman life was at stake, and if men refused to obseuve them, it was hardly possible to record a verdict.,, He found that deceased met his death from a fracture of the skull, caused by a fall from a live wire. He did not consider blan.' as attachable to anvoue.