GAS WORKER'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20866, 7 May 1931, Page 12

GAS WORKER'S DEATH.

LOCATING LEAK IN MAIN. WITHOUT A MATE ON JOB. CORONER CRITICISES EMPLOYERS. [by TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CxISBORNE, Wednesday. Comment was made by tho coroner, Mr. P. IT. Harper, S.M., to-day, on the action of tlie employers of a deceased worker in allowing him to work single-handed on repairs to a gas main, tho man beinc found dead and the air full of gas. The deceased was Walter Hendry Morrow, aged 36 years, who was married and had one child, A witness gave evidence that the deceased was working on a gas main in tho main street of the town outside witness' shop, endeavouring to locate a leak. After lunch deceased worked alone in the hole. Conversing with deceased witness reminded him of ia previous occasion about a year ago when he was working alone on a similar job near witness* shop and was overcome by gas. On that occasion witness assisted to revive the dccoased. Working in Small Hole. When reminded of this incident deceased said: "I will be mighty careful this time as I am working on my own and should really have another experienced man working with me." Witness said deceased was alive at 2.40 p.m. When he saw him at 3 p.m. he was sitting in the hole and anyone passing by might have thought ho was all right. When witness spoke to him he received no answer and realised something was wrong. With assistance witness removed decease.d from the hole and a doctor who was sent for said life was extinct. Tho hole in which deceased was working was only 2ft. 6in. deep and 2ft. square. Frederick Goldsmith, a service-main layer, gave evidence that at 12.30 p.m. deceased callt*d at witness' house for the key of the truck and in reply to a question if anyone was going to work with him on the main, said tho foreman had promised to send another man up. Alexander Shaw, who is tho foreman employed by tho Gisborne Gas Company, said ho instructed deceased to do the work. When deceased found out where tho leak was ho said he would have to excavate. Witness told deceased that ho had better take a mate with him. Deceased returned at 1 p.m for a plug and witness thought he had taken a man with him, but later found he had not taken the man he meant him to take. Witness visited the job between 2.15 p.m. and 2.30 p.m., and said to tho deceased : "Did you take that man with you?" Deceased replied: "I am 'jake.'" In reply to a further query deceased said he would soon be finished.

Earthquake Fractures. In reply to a question by the solicitor for tho relatives, witness said the company was getting some gas masks. The masks were an innovation and tho company had received catalogues. The leak was duo to the earthquake, which had caused about forty fractures. Oswald Prince, manager of the company, said deceased was an experienced man and a good worker. Gas masks were on order, but they were not necessary for that kind of job. A mask would not probably have been used on this occasion, because the main was so shallow and so near fresh air. In future two men would always go out on such jobs. Before adjourning the inquest for medical evidence; the coroner said: —"It seems to me some comment should be made upon the action of deceased's employers, who knew of the danger attending this class of worki They contemplated gas masks for the use of the men on this sort . of work and they knew that deceased had been gassed before. It may riot have been necessary for a mask to have been supplied to the deceased for the job but the employers had no right to allow him to undertake this class of work without taking the obvious necessary precaution of seeing lie was accompanied by an experienced fellow-worker. No doubt the deceased and his fellow-workers were prepared to take the risk of doing work unaccompanied, but men should not be allowed to do so, and tho employers should always seo they are accompanied. I am confident that if they'had taken 'these precautions deceased would not have lost his life."