POWER LINE FATALITY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18497, 19 February 1930, Page 8

POWER LINE FATALITY

INQUEST OPENED. CORONER’S RECOMMENDATIONS. An inquest into the Circumstances surrounding the death of Eric Johns, a linesman’s assistant, of Temuka. was opened before the District Coroner (Mr C. R. Orr-Walker, S.M.) at the Geraldine Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Constable D. Callanan represented the police, and Mr G. W. Morrison the South Canterbury Electric Power Board. . Laurence Carrington Mail, medical practitioner, at Geraldine, stated that he received an urgent message, and went to Dr. Hislop’s surgery, where he found deceased lying on the surgery couch. He was dead. Witness concluded that he had died only a short time previously, and had been told by Phillips, whom deceased worked with, that the lad had been electrocuted through coming in contact) wtih a high-tension electric wire. Witness injected stimulants, and applied artificial respiration, which was continued about twenty minutes, without success. Everything possible was done to bring about resuscitation. In the opinion of witness, death had occurred as a result of receiving a shock from a high-tension electric wire. The Coroner: “His whole appearance indicated that.” Witness: “Yes. Deceased had a mark on his left hand, but there were no other marks of injury on his body. The mark on the hand was evidence of a burn.” Mr G. W. Morrison asked if deceased was dead when the doctor examined him. Witness stated that he had been dead a short time when the examination was made. The inquest was then adjourned to Temuka. At Temuka. When the proceedings were resumed in the Temuka Court-house, George Walter Phillips, linesman in the employ of the South Canterbury Power Board, said that on February 11, he was working at Pleasant Valley in company with deceased, draining oil from transformers. He was standing on a ladder up the pole, and deceased was standing on the ground. Witness had assembled the transformer, and they had finished pumping, and were changing the hose. Witness asked deceased, who was taking the hose between the motor-truck and the pole, to take it round the outside of the pole so as not to foul the wires. All of a sudden witness saw a flash, and then deceased called out: “Oh, George, George, take it off,” meaning that witness was to -disconnect the wire. Witness came down from the ladder at once, and got hold of deceased, who was lying on the ground and applied artificial respiration in accordance with the rules. The Coroner: “Were you taught what to do?” Witness: “No. Although not taught it, I have read about it in the booK.” Coroner: “Have you a .ually seen it done?” Witness: “No. I have not actually seen it done, but I have read the rules relating to it very often.” Witness then gave a demonstration of the method he had adopted in trying to resuscitate deceased. The Magistrate: "How long did you continue with the work?” Witness: “About four or five minutes.” The Coroner: “How long does the book tell you to use this method?” Witness: “Until you see signs of life.” Continuing, witness said that after five or six minutes’ treatment, he lifted deceased and put him in the truck and took him to Geraldine. Deceased was gasping when he was being lifted into the car, and he groaned several times after being placed on the seat. The distance to Geraldine would be about six miles, and he got there in about ten minutes. He took deceased to a doctor’s place, but there was no one home. Dr. Mail arrived about ten j minutes later. The Coroner: “That meant that twenty minutes had elapsed since you i placed deceased on the car, and act- j ually thirty minutes from the time j the accident actually happened. There ; was not much hope then.” “Dr. Mail,” continued the witness, “worked at deceased for about 20 minutes, witli no result.” The Coroner: “When ydu saw the [ deceased gasping, why didn't you continue the work of resuscitation?” Witness: “I was all on my own, and there was no one about, and I thought the best thing to do was to get the deceased to a doctor as soon as possible.” The Coroner: “Did you know that you should have continued until there was absolutely no hope?” Witness: “Had there been anyone to send for assistance, or go for the doctor, I would have done so, but I thought it was best to take him immediately to the doctor.” Continuing, witness said that the wire which the deceased had caught hold of, was connected with the transformer on the lorry,, and was carried to the cut-out on tne pole. It had rubber insulation. There was no need j for deceased to have been within four < or five feet of that wire. The Coroner: “Why did he do it?” 1 The witness: “He seemed to get 1 annoyed at me for telling him to take the lead round the pole. We were good friends, and I was in charge of the job.” The Coroner: “Why was he annoyed? I don’t quite follow.” Witness: "I told him it was danger- j ous to come that way, and he said: j ‘Who's taking the risk, you or me?’ j I said that both of us were taking the risk, as far as that was concerned.” In answer to Mr Walker, witness said that he had had about five years’ experience, and had a linesman’s cer- i tificate. There were 6000 volts in the ' wire, and deceased was quite well aware of this. They had been together at this class of work for about ten weeks. When warning deceased to 1 be careful, witness told him that the 1 wire was carrying 6000 volts. They were talking for a few minutes, and deceased seemed to get annoyed at j being told to do the job the way j witness wanted it done. The Coroner: “What actually happened? Did the deceased trip and ! fall, and then come in contact with 1 the wire? This is more feasible, un- ; less he wanted to commit suicide. Why l did he put his hand on the wire?” Witness: "I can’t be sure, unless he meant to push it away from him. I J am certain he die not stumble.” The Coroner: Either he did it accidentally, wilfully, negligently or j thoughtlessly. Which of the four is i it? You warned him that the wire j was carrying 6000 voits, and this is J quite feasible, as you were trying to ; emphasise the danger of disobeying ! the rules.” Witness: “Probably he wai trying ■ to show me that lie was not do :ngntened as I was, or that i was unujeessarily careful.” Joseph Andrews, in charge of the power station at deposed mat he got a ’phone message from Geraldine, stating chat Eric Jonns had oeen electrocuted at Geraldine. He immediately went to Dr. Mails residence at Geraldine, arriving there about I

5 p.m., and was informed that the patient was dead. He then proceeded to the place where the accident had occurred. The high tension fuses controlling the wires were disconnected. The wires were stretched on the ground, as was also the hose connected with the pump. He examined the hose, but saw no marks or burns on it. He also examined the insulation on the wires, and as far as the eye could see it was all right. The oil had been pumped out of the container on the pole, which was left empty. The leads had been interchanged so as to pump the oil from the bottom to the top again. He re-connected the wires, and then filled the containers with oil. There was no need for any man to be within four feet of these wires at any time.

The Coroner: “If deceased had gone between the wire and th£ pole, how far would he be from the wire?” Witness: “At least three feet. It would be possible at any time to reach, out and touch these wires. He should not have been where he was, as he knew this wire was dangerous.” The Coroner: “Having visited the spot, can you give us any explanation why he touched it?” Witness: “No. I can’t, sir.” Coroner: “How long should Phillips have carried on with the resuscitation methods?” Witness: “He should have continued for at least thirty minutes. That is in the book of instructions. These instructions are posted up in accessible places. It was quite possible that deceased would have lived, if the resuscitation method had been continued. I have had experience where patients have revived after being treated for one and a half hours.” Coroner: “Are the men given any demonstrations as to how the methods are to be applied?” Witness: "No. Nor have I ever seen it done on any public body.” The Coroner: “I take it that the police have got to do so.” G. W. Morrison, secretary-engineer, of the South Canterbury Power Board, said that the new regulations said that the treatment has to be carried on for four hours.” He then read the regulations governing this section of the service. An adjournment was then made for lunch, and on resuming, the Coroner gave his verdict as follows: “That deceased. Eric Alexander Johns, died near Geraldine on February 10, 1930, from the effects of a shock from a high-tension electric wire, at Pleasant Valley, while engaged in his duties.” The Coroner added: “I think it is my duty to say that the evidence shows a lamentable ignorance on the part of deceased’s co-employee of the rules given to him for resuscitating electrocuted persons. He should not have shifted deceased, and should have continued his efforts, instead of stopping after five or six minutes. Although it is not certain that deceased’s life would have been saved, he unfortunately, through ignorance, did not have the chance which he could have had.” “After hearing evidence,” said the Coroner, “I also wish to recommend for the serious consideration of those in charge of electrical work the question of seeing that practical experience in resuscitation rules be given to all workmen amongst high-tension wires. Book knowledge only, is not sufficient in an emergency.”