FLAX MILLING ACCIDENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1424, 15 June 1899, Page 39

FLAX MILLING ACCIDENTS.

It would be interesting to obtain, a return showing the number of fatal accidents and casualties resulting in permanent disablement that have occurred in the flax mills of New Zealand for the last ten years. The results of such a compilation would, we believe, go to show that it is infinitely more dangerous to be an employee in such an establishment than to be a soldier or a sailor. Even at present, with the industry in a partly moribund condition, hardly a week passes withcut some serious accident being recorded. The majority seem to happen through the workmen being reckless or inexperienced, or through the regulations dealing with the working of machinery belting being either imperfect or disregarded. The facts, however, go to indicate that the fault lies principally with the men. Long familiarity or deficient knowledge of the dangers involved lead to carelessness in handling the belting. Some day the unfortunate man makes a false step, and is carried like lightning round the revolving shaft, to be thrown a few moments later a mangled heap on the floor. Instance® of fingers, arms and legs being torn off are only too frequent. The Manawatu “Herald” has heard many stories of foolishness, but one which it, refers to seems incredible. That is that in one of the mills a man rides along the moving belt till he gets to the pulley and then jumps off. If men will do these things, and try to shift belting rather than lose a couple of minutes for the engine to stop, loose pulleys will be no source of protection. Tt is suggested that every miller should have directions posted up in his mill that no belting should be touched until it bad ceased moving. This will hardly meet the position, 'for men who have to be told this kind of thing must on the face of it be so inexperienced that it would be a positive danger to allow them about moving machinery at ail. The whole secret of the inordinate number of accidents that occur could be traced to the employment of unskilled workmen.