FATAL LIFT ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17449, 20 April 1920, Page 5

FATAL LIFT ACCIDENT.

» COMMENT 3Y THE CORONER. "AN EVERPRESENT DANGER." The death of Mr. John Hounsell, 58 years of age, residing at 86. Beresford Street, which lo_ok place on April 13, as the result of injuries sustained that day, by a fall down an ■ open well in A. J. Entrican and Company's tea factory, in St. James Street, was the subject of an inquest yesterday by the coroner, Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M. Evidence was given that Mr. Honnsell fell from the iirst floor when in the act of receiving a case of tea, which had been raised from the ground floor by a rope on a pulley that worked inside a large well or shaft. G. H. Lightfoot, inspector of factories in Auckland, said that, while the particu lar appliance for hoisting goods was quite safe, there were factors that contributed to the ace dent. One was the unnecessary size of the well-hole, which was out of pro portion, to the size of packages usually lifted. ' ' In reply to Mr. Singer, who appeared for the widow. Mr. Lightfoot said tha, had he known of the method of working in use h«> should have required some al teration for the protection of the work men. The coroner remarked that he could noi see how anyone who inspected the appara tus could say other than that there was an ever-present risk if anything untowarc occurred. The person operating the lifl had to push (he package away from bin: before he pulled it on to- the floor. Ir that way. in the very act of ■working' it there was an element of danger. After further evidence Mr. Wilson re turned a verdict that death was caused by injuries sustained through an accidents fall. There was no evidence to show the cause of the deceaeed's fall. The evidence as to the manner in which the work wa* usually performed, however, showed thai it was not a method free from risk to the workmen, .and he recommended that othea means of landing goods be adopted.