STRUCK BY GIRDER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22401, 23 April 1936, Page 14

STRUCK BY GIRDER

BOILERMAKER'S DEATH WORKSHOPS ACCIDENT VERDICT AT THE INQUEST An accident which occurred at the Otahuhu railway workshops on February 24, when Robert John Martin, a hoilermaker, acred 53, was pinned to the floor by a girder weighing nearly two tons, and suffered injuries which later caused his death in hospital, was investigated at an inquest held by Mr. W. R. MeKean. coroner, yesterday. The coroner's verdict was that Martin's death was due to toxaemia and Khock from the effect of a crushed left leg and thigh, caused accidentally when a girder, which had been lowered in accordance with a signal given by him, in some way became displaced, and tell to the ground, crushing him when it fell. Mr. D. Johnston appeared for Martin's relatives and tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. Saw Girder Toppling Jack Ferguson Davev, a boilermaker employed in the structural shop, said that on the morning of February 24 he was engaged in assembling steel girder spans constructed of largo steel girders weighing approximately 4000 pounds. These were being removed from another part of the workshop, where they were assembled by means of an electric overhead crane. Martin was engaged in bringing the girders across the shop, and had been on tho job for a fortnight. He had landed the girder, released the lifting gear, and given the signal to lift it clear, when witness saw the girder toppling over toward him. Witness expressed the opinion that the accident was due to the fact that after the hooks of tho lifting gear had been released, and were being raised, a rivet above tho hooks caught on tho edge of the girder tipped it up. Alfred Hansard Gabb, a crane driver, said that Martin was engaged in guiding tho girders into position. Witness could not see tho girders when they were being lowered into position and had to be guided by signals from Martin. He received a signal to lower the girder, and after a few seconds another signal to take the gear away. He was doing so when he heard a cry and immediately stopped the crane. Theory Regarding Cause

Witness added that it was Martin's duty to open.' the jaws of the grab and lift clear before giving tlio signal. Daniel Stewart, foreman in tho structural shop, said that Martin had guided' the girder into position on to the blocks provided, which were in good condition, it seemed from what witness had been told that Martin allowed tho lifting gear to go down too far, with the result that the head of an inch rivet on the grab caught on the edge of the girder when it was lifting clear, causing it to topple over. Constable J. G. Howe stated that ho had examined the lifting gear, which was in first-class order. The coroner said there was no defect in the actual lifting gear, and the methods employed seemed to provide reasonable precautions. There was no reason for him to think that the lifting of the gear had begun before the signal was given by Martin.