| Date of Accident | Mine | County | Owner or Company | Name | Age | Occupation | Category | Cause of accident & remarks | Additional Information | ||
| 1907 | January | 4 | Lochore | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Barclay Gaffney | 37 | Sinker | Shaft accidents – things falling into shaft from surface | The shaft sinking had been completed, and deceased with three other sinkers were engaged putting in the permanent pumps : a service engine was in use to lower the material required, and the cage on being raised to the surface was taken up to the pulley: striking a crossbeam, and causing the chain connecting the rope to cage to break, and cage went back down the shaft; in its descent it wrecked the woodwork surrounding the shaft at the surface, and part of the wood fell down the shaft, and deceased who was standing on a " bunton " was struck and thrown off, falling to the bottom. From Main body of report: One man – a sinker - was killed by material falling down the shaft from the surface : several sinkers were engaged putting in the permanent pipes in a shaft where sinking had been completed, and during the time work was going on the service cage had to make trips in the shaft with material necessary for the operations. The engineman during one of the ascending trips brought the cage up too far, causing it to strike the cross-beams, breaking the coupling chain, and freeing the cage which fell down the shaft, wrecking in its descent the woodwork at the surface, which fell into the dip side of the shaft where the men were at work, and one man was struck and precipitated to the bottom. The speed of the engine, which was temporary, was very slow. |
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| 1907 | January | 8 | Gateside | Lanark | Flemington Coal Co Ltd | William Weir | 60 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | When cleaning waggon road under the screens he was run over by the first of three empty waggons which were being brought forward. | |
| 1907 | January | 10 | Oakbank (Oil shale) | Edinburgh | Oakbank Oil Co Ltd | Samuel McCurley | 14 | Filler | Haulage – ropes or chains breaking | Deceased left his working place to go for a drink of water, and when passing the foot of a "cuddie brae," he was crushed by a runaway tub ; the cause of the runaway was the opening of a false link on the chain. | |
| 1907 | January | 11 | East Parkhead | Lanark | Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Panton | 19 | Washing machine assistant | On surface – by machinery | He went over the fence of the washer engine, apparently to oil a bearing, and got caught by the flywheel. | |
| 1907 | January | 11 | Auldhouseburn | Ayr | Cairntable Gas Coal Co Ltd | Robert Hazel | 17 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | When returning from work a runaway race of empty hutches which had not been coupled to the rope at top of dook, ran into them. Another man going to his work was injured. | Newspaper Report - Muirkirk pages |
| Robert Brown | 17 | Drawer | |||||||||
| 1907 | January | 11 | Dykehead No 1 | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Jas. McGhie | 68 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof in working place. | |
| 1907 | January | 18 | Portland No 5 | Ayr | Portland Colliery Co Ltd | John Wilson | 17 | Drawer | Falls of side | Fall of roof on road while travelling behind a full hutch being drawn by a pony. The pony turned, and the tail chain drew out several centre props, causing the timbering and roof to give way. | Newspaper report |
| 1907 | January | 18 | Auldton | Lanark | Brand & Co | David Cannavon | 15 | Pony Driver | Falls of side | Fall of roof on road while taking in a race of hutches to the workings. | |
| 1907 | January | 18 | Townhill | Fife | West of Fife Coal Co Ltd | Adam Bower | 32 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased had just taken down coal at the working face, which relieved a mass of rock from the roof, and part striking him caused fatal injuries. | |
| 1907 | January | 18 | Elgin & Wellwood | Fife | Thos Spowart & Co Ltd | John Sutherland | 23 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was taking coal off the face, when the roof burst suddenly and in trying to escape he ran right under the falling part, and was killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | January | 23 | Coltness | Lanark | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | John Kerr | 29 | Labourer | On surface – miscellaneous | The waggons at a coal washer were very stiff to move owing to the grease having become hard by the frost, and in order to thaw the grease, deceased poured some naphtha over the box and set the oil on fire ; while the grease was flaming he lifted the can containing about three gallons of naphtha, and commenced to pour some more oil on the box, when the vapour ignited, causing an explosion, and saturated his clothing, which took fire. From Main body of report: A labourer at a coal-washer was pouring naphtha oil on the grease-box of a waggon to thaw the grease, when the flame caught the vapour, and the whole contents of the oil-can exploded, setting fire to his clothing. |
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| 1907 | January | 24 | Gartshore No 11 | Dumbarton | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Jas. McAllister | 20 | Bogie man | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He appears to have fallen off his bogie and got crushed against a prop. | |
| 1907 | January | 25 | Polton | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | Joseph Sloane | 21 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was holing his place, and had just finished when the roof suddenly collapsed, and fell upon him ; the holing was on top of seam. | |
| 1907 | January | 25 | Lumphinnans | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | George Duff | 30 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased apparently was at work at the coal face, when a part of the roof fell upon him, and caused his death. | Newspaper report - Beath pages |
| 1907 | January | 29 | Philpstoun (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | James Ross & Co | James Donnelly | 22 | Miner | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | See Report From Main body of report: The fatal explosion occurred in a shale mine [see plan]. The opening is an in-going-eye from the surface, and dips 1 in 1.5 on an average. The seam worked is the Broxburn shale, and system of working is stoop and room, with stoops varying from 60 feet to 90 feet square, and openings 12 feet wide. In the vicinity of the place of accident the stoops were irregular in size owing to the proximity of a large "throw " running almost east and west. The method of working the shale is to hole the seam in the centre by " yankeeing," next work off the bottoms and lastly bring down the tops. The air current to ventilate the workings passed down the mine to No. 19 level where it split, one portion going to the right and the other portion going to the left, the whole returning to the top of the parallel mine at the top of which was a Guibal fan 22 feet by seven feet, running usually about 36 revolutions per- minute. The air measurements recorded prior to the accident were 17,000 cubic feet per minute to the left, and 19,000 cubic feet per minute to the right. In stooping, it is usual to take the stoops out in lifts of 12 feet to 18 feet to the rise and across the level. Stooping had been in progress at the extreme end of No. 17 South West level for some time, and at the time of the explosion the stoop had almost been wholly extracted - only a small pillar eight feet by six feet remaining - and the weight of the overhead strata above crushed off the top portion of the shale from the pillar so that the roof was unsupported over that area, but the area of the waste was wholly supported by timber set in close order. In order to take away the pillar hurriedly an extra force of men was put on, consisting of the deceased and two drawers, and it was the intention of the officials to begin and withdraw the timber immediately the pillar was out. Work was proceeding as usual when at 11.15 a.m. a violent explosion was heard coming from the direction of No. 17 level. The force threw open trap-doors at the side of the mine, shale dust was raised in clouds on the level roads and small stones thrown about, stoppings were thrown out, and props displaced, causing many falls, and the lights of the men at work in various parts of the mine were extinguished. Naturally there was much confusion. Soon many men arrived at the level, and search parties were formed, and proceeded in the level road, but were forced back by the deadly after-damp. After several attempts the rescue by No 17 level was abandoned and an attempt by No 18 level made, which was happily successful. Donelly and Fleming were found alive, and at once conveyed to the mine where artificial respiration was applied, but it availed nothing as both succumbed. A search was afterwards made for Lindsay, and after prolonged searching he was found to the rise in the waste of the extracted stoop, quite dead, and very severely burned. Had there been proper directions given by the person in charge, to send the rescue party by No 18 level at first instead of making so many futile attempts by No. 17 level, where the whole volume of the after damp was passing, the lives of the men – Donnelly and Fleming would, in all probability, have been saved. It was unfortunate that, owing to illness, the Under-Manager - who is a most capable and experienced official – was not able to be present. The explosion was caused by the naked light of Lindsay firing gas in the vicinity of where his body was found, and this gas had been liberated from the roof, which had been showing signs of falling during the morning. The system of allowing the whole area of the stoop to rest on timber lent itself to the liberation of a larger quantity of gas at one time than was possible under the usual method of withdrawing the timber as soon as each lift was extracted, but it is only fair to say that the roof is sometimes hard to break, and it was hoped that by extracting the whole stoop, and afterwards withdrawing the timber, the roof would fall across the stooped area. Gas had not been seen in the Section prior to the accident, and it presumably came of the “throw.” There did not appear to be any valid reason for Lindsay going into the stooped ground. |
Newspaper report |
| Alexander Fleming, jun. | 21 | Miner | |||||||||
| David Lindsay | 19 | Miner | |||||||||
| 1907 | February | 5 | Michael | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Ebenezer Johnstone | 14 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was pushing a loaded tub down a short brae against an empty on other end of rope, when the ascending empty tub left the rails, causing the loaded one to up end, and his head was crushed between the end of tub and roof, which was low at the part. | |
| 1907 | February | 7 | Little Raith | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | Mark Churchill | 55 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased, with some other workmen, was engaged moving forward some empty waggons, and wag pushing at the buffer of the rear waggon when some loaded waggons moving behind came slowly down and the front one crushed him between its buffer and the buffer of the empty waggon. | |
| 1907 | February | 8 | Donibristle | Fife | Donibristle Colliery Co Ltd | Alexander Innes | 45 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was at work at the coal face, when a large stone fell from the roof upon him, causing injuries to which he succumbed two days later. | |
| 1907 | February | 9 | Kames | Ayrshire | Thomas Rennie | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper Report - Muirkirk pages | ||||
| 1907 | February | 12 | Dalbeath | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Mary Rae | 14 | Pithead-worker | On surface – miscellaneous | Deceased was spreading the "duff " on top of a hopper when the surface foreman, unaware of her position, pulled open the schute or sliding door to fill a waggon beneath, and she fell down among the fine material and was suffocated. From Main body of report: A girl was spreading " duff" on top of a hopper when, unknown to her, the valve at the bottom was opened and she fell through and was suffocated. |
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| 1907 | February | 14 | Dunnikier | Fife | Walter Herd & Son Ltd | Andrew Galloway | 24 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was travelling up an incline towards his working place, when he was met by an empty runaway tub which injured him, and he died 22 days later. His drawer, in turning an empty tub on the plates at the incline, allowed it to go over to the rails, and it ran down. | |
| 1907 | February | 21 | Whitehill | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | William Aitken | 26 | Loco. Guard | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased stood with the coupling-pole in his hand to couple on some loaded waggons to a train, which the locomotive was pushing in front, and just as the train approached he appeared to suddenly change his mind and stepped between, and was crushed by the buffers. | |
| 1907 | February | 22 | Dunnikier | Fife | Walter Herd & Son Ltd | James Griffiths | 47 | Pumping Engineman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was walking up a dook, and was overtaken by a loaded rake of tubs being drawn up, and seriously injured, the injuries terminating fatally on 21st May, 1907. He apparently did not think the rake was so close upon him, as he had plenty of room to step aside and allow it to pass. | |
| 1907 | February | 23 | Twechar | Dumbarton | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Thos. Humphreys | 40 | Brusher | Falls of side | Fall of roof in working place after knocking out a prop to put in a building. | |
| 1907 | February | 25 | Broomrigg No 3 | Stirling | Banknock Colliery Co Ltd | James Lees | 45 | Fireman | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | When descending the shaft the cage left the slides and he was fatally injured. | |
| 1907 | February | 28 | Balgonie | Fife | Charles B Balfour | Charles Smith | 24 | Labourer | On surface – miscellaneous | Deceased was inside a cylindrical water softening apparatus cleaning out the wood fibre, which lay to a depth of six feet below the top of the tank, when the iron plate supporting this fibre gave way and he was precipitated into some hot water below which had not been drawn off. The plate was supported by two bolts, which appeared to be insufficient to sustain the weight. | |
| 1907 | March | 6 | Wallyford | Edinburgh | Edinburgh Collieries Co Ltd | Andrew Rutherford | 37 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was breaking up a projecting stone in the side of a self-acting incline, when the timber supporting the roof gave way, and the roof fell upon him ; he died from his injuries on 23rd December, 1907. | |
| 1907 | March | 8 | Bridgeness | Linlithgow | Bridgeness Coal Co | Robert Downie | 23 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased took off some projecting coal, and as soon as it came away, a large stone fell from between two parallel lypes, and killed him instantly ; the fireman was close by at the time and had a narrow escape. The lypes were unseen prior to the accident. | |
| 1907 | March | 9 | Ross No 1 | Lanark | Thos Barr's Trustees | Alex. Paterson | 56 | Overman | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | When walking out to the pit bottom he struck his head against a crown and cut it. Blood-poisoning set in and he died on 26th March. | |
| 1907 | March | 11 | Muiredge | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | John Johnstone | 17 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | The place of accident was a cut chain brae. The tubs stopped on the brae, and deceased went up to ascertain what was the cause, and the tubs started to run before he was clear of the brae, while they were in motion, the wheel became detached from the wheel tree, allowing the tubs to run free, and deceased was caught by the runaway tubs. | |
| 1907 | March | 11 | Polmaise No 4 & 2 | Stirling | Archd. Russell Ltd | Thos. Carruthers | 51 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | He appears to have been mounting one of four waggons to disload props when a Caledonian Railway locomotive moved them, and he was crushed between the buffers. | |
| 1907 | March | 12 | Allanton | Lanark | Wm Barr & Sons | Jas. Cowan | 56 | Reddsman | Falls of side | Fall of roof in working place while securing it. | |
| 1907 | March | 14 | Prestonlinks | Haddington | Edinburgh Collieries Ltd | James Hoggan | 59 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased and his step-son were working as usual at the face, when the roof suddenly gave signs of falling, and both ran in opposite directions, but were overtaken and buried beneath a huge fall. The roof had been well supported by props, but the fall threw all the props out. | |
| 1907 | March | 15 | Dalmeny (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd | William Branders | 59 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was taking shale off the rise side of his place, when a large piece fell away from between lypes, and striking him he was killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | March | 15 | Aitken | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Dickson | 42 | Labourer | On surface – miscellaneous | In order to take away the debris to the redd bing with the least possible delay as it is raised from the shaft, an aerial ropeway was erected, and close by the pit was a large hopper with a capacity to hold 90 tons of debris. By means of "shoots," the debris was filled into buckets, and the buckets were carried by a rope to the redd bing. While the work of filling the buckets was in progress the structure collapsed, and deceased was buried among the debris. The cause of the collapse was due to a cross-beam of wood breaking at a part which was defective, but which could not be observed. | Newspaper report - Beath pages NB Correct Name is James Dickson McNeil |
| 1907 | March | 16 | Tannochside No 1 | Lanark | Archd. Russell Ltd | Thos. McGuigan | 32 | Boiler fireman | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | In some unexplained manner he was run over by the front waggon of two which he was shunting. | |
| 1907 | March | 18 | Dalzell & Broomside | Lanark | Wishaw Coal Co Ltd | James Brown | 40 | Bogie-man | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | The haulage road is worked by endless rope system, and the rakes are hauled by bogies, on which the bogie-men sit to control the speed by means of the rope clamp. During the shift the rope suddenly stopped, and on an. examination, a loaded rake was found upset at a part of the road, where there is a turn, and an underground wheel for the rope to pass round, and some distance inbye deceased was found on the loaded roadway quite dead, he appeared to have fallen off the bogie and was crushed between the tubs as they moved outbye and the stoop side. | |
| 1907 | March | 19 | Altonhill | Ayr | J & R Howie | Hugh Hannah | 22 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof in working place. | |
| 1907 | March | 20 | Bent | Lanark | Bent Colliery Co Ltd | Robert Gourlay | 38 | Waggon shifter | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | He held up a 6-feet prop to prevent two moving waggons from buffer locking other two. The prop was knocked aside and he was crushed between the waggons. | |
| 1907 | March | 25 | Lochhead | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Stuart Band | 18 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was filling coal, which he had taken down from the roof into a tub, when some more coal fell, which struck him on the head and killed him instantly. | |
| 1907 | March | 25 | Blantyre Ferme | Lanark | A G Moore & Co | Charles Smith | 30 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | While illegally drawing in front of his hutch going down an incline the snibble broke, and he was knocked down by the hutch and crushed against a prop. | |
| 1907 | March | 25 | Earlseat | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | George Hutchison | 44 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was lying holing under the head coal, when it suddenly burst and fell upon him. The head coal was “ranced” but the "burst" threw the rance out. | |
| 1907 | March | 25 | Gartshore No 2 | Dumbarton | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Chas. Higney | 18 | Drawer | Falls of side | Fall of roof in working place. | |
| 1907 | March | 26 | Riddochhill | Linlithgow | Gavin Paul & Sons Ltd | John Walker | 54 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was taking down some roof blaes, when a piece suddenly fell and threw him against a prop, causing injuries to which he succumbed eight days later. | |
| 1907 | March | 28 | Dunnikier | Fife | Walter Herd & Son Ltd | Lewis Park | 30 | Wheeler | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | The tubs on a self-acting incline, became derailed, and deceased and the hanger-on at the foot re-railed them. Owing to some obstruction on the rails the tubs did not at first move, and afterwards they went away, just as deceased was leaning over them, and he was crushed against the roof which was low at the part. | |
| 1907 | March | 29 | Highhouse No 2 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Robert Devine | 35 | Brusher | Falls of side | When redding through an old drift and preparing to secure the roof, which he knew to be unsafe, the roof fell on him. | |
| 1907 | March | 29 | Simpsonland No 1 | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | James Bell | 44 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of coal while holing. Sprags were said to have been set to the undercut coal. | |
| 1907 | April | 1 | Lumphinnans | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James McCallum | 15 | Drawer | Falls of side | Deceased was filling a tub, when a mass of coal fell off the face and crushed him, causing death six days later. | |
| 1907 | April | 2 | Bowhill | Fife | Bowhill Coal Co Ltd | John Ross | 21 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was engaged taking down coal, when the roof suddenly collapsed, and he was badly injured ; he died from his injuries 19 days later. The roof fell away by two parallel lypes, which were unseen. | |
| 1907 | April | 2 | Lumphinnans | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | George Auld | 19 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was taking down coal, which, when it fell relieved the roof, and it came away on him, causing instant death. | |
| 1907 | April | 3 | Cowdenbeath | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | William Brown | 70 | Wood-cutter | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was crossing the lines of rails of the sidings, when unobserved a train of waggons being pushed by a locomotive came upon him and he was run down. | |
| 1907 | April | 3 | Wester Queenslie No 2 | Lanark | Steel Company of Scotland Ltd | James Williamson | 31 | Brusher | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | Upon entering a road in which the fireman had found gas and which was fenced off, his naked light ignited the gas. Another man was injured by the explosion. From Main body of report: One of these was caused by the deceased entering with a naked light a place which was fenced off and in which the fireman had found fire-damp. |
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| 1907 | April | 4 | Bankton | Haddington | Edinburgh Collieries Ltd | William Masterton | 17 | Apprentice Surveyor | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Deceased and the surveyor had been engaged levelling in a mid seam, and on arriving at the shaft the signal was given for them to be raised to the surface. When all was ready they stepped on to the cage, and as soon as the cage began to ascend, deceased, who carried the levelling staff in one hand, apparently lost his balance, and before he could regain it, he fell off the cage into the shaft. From Main body of report: An apprentice mining engineer went on to the cage, along with the surveyor, at a mid-working, carrying a levelling staff and just as the cage moved upward, he overbalanced and fell into the shaft. |
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| 1907 | April | 9 | Cobbinshaw (oil shale) | Edinburgh | Tarbrax Oil Co | John Devlin | 38 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | The fireman in making his inspection for the back shift found deceased lying dead about 12 feet from his working face. An examination of the place showed that a shot had been fired, and all the appearances pointed to the deceased having gone back on a shot. | |
| 1907 | April | 10 | Shaws No 2 | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | John Gaffney | 23 | Pithead labourer | On surface – miscellaneous | While uncoupling a hutch on a gangway 20 feet high he fell to the ground by stumbling and slipping beneath the railing. He died on 28th November | |
| 1907 | April | 12 | Houldsworth | Ayr | Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd | John Robertson | 31 | Locomotive Guard | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | When pinching forward waggons others moved forward behind and crushed him. | |
| 1907 | April | 13 | Ross | Lanark | Thos Barr's Trustees | Alexander Taylor | 47 | Overman | Falls of side | Fall of roof in working place while starting a coal-cutting machine. | Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages |
| 1907 | April | 16 | Dundonald | Fife | Dundonald Coal Co | David Wilson | 38 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased, with others, was repairing and timbering a brae under the directions of a fireman, when the timber previously set suddenly collapsed, and part of the roof fell upon him, and he was killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | April | 16 | Bowhill | Fife | Bowhill Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Nicol | 32 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was clearing away coal to make room for a prop, when a stone fell from the roof and striking him he was killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | April | 16 | Ross | Lanark | Thos Barr's Trustees | John Nisbet | 38 | Brushing contractor | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | He lit the fuses of three gelignite shots. Thinking all had gone off he returned too soon, when one of the shots went off on him. | |
| 1907 | April | 17 | Polkemmet | Linlithgow | United Collieries Ltd | Thomas McConnell | 37 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was holing his coal in a stooping place, when it suddenly fell over the sprags, and crushed him ; he died from his injuries seven days later. | |
| 1907 | April | 18 | Cowdenbeath No 10 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Joseph Shearer | 16 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased hung an empty tub on the rope, and a miner at the top pushed over his loaded tub, and while tubs were in motion the wheel tree broke and loaded tub crashed into the empty tub at bottom of brae, which struck deceased and killed him. | |
| 1907 | April | 19 | Devon | Clackmannan | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Dawson | 44 | Fireman | Falls of side | Deceased was repairing the rails, on a horse road at a part where a "dyke" was crossed, when a stone fell away from the side, and fatally injured him ; he died two days later. | |
| 1907 | April | 25 | Greenhill | Lanark | Greenhill Colliery Co Ltd | William Graham | 14 | Dirt-picker | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased's work was to pick the dirt from the coal, and for this purpose he had to go inside the waggon ; the boy was leaning over the end of the waggon in which he was picking the dirt, when it was moved forward, and his head was crushed against the supporting rail of a shelter structure above. | |
| 1907 | April | 30 | Wallyford | Edinburgh | Edinburgh Collieries Ltd | Thomas Gilroy | 14 | Dirt-picker | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased, unknown to anyone, left his work at the picking table and crossed the lines of rails, and on coming back he crossed under the waggons at the screens just as the trimmer was moving his waggons, and he was crushed. | |
| 1907 | May | 2 | Wester Gartshore | Dumbarton | J & A F Wallace | John Wishart | 30 | Fireman | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | While making his inspection firedamp extinguished his lamp. In striking a match to relight it he ignited the gas. From Main body of report: Of the seven fatal explosions, four resulted in the death of firemen, men who were supposed to be capable of looking after their own safety as well as the safety of the workmen. Three of these occurred while the man who lost his life was making his inspection with a naked light instead of a safety lamp, while the fourth was caused by the victim striking a match to relight his safety lamp which had been extinguished by fire-damp while making his inspection. |
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| 1907 | May | 6 | Grangemouth | Stirling | Grangemouth Coal Co Ltd | James Finnigan | 33 | Miner | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Deceased and another miner were descending the shaft in the cage, when an iron strap, which had become detached from the wooden pump rod, and was projecting into the cage space, caught the cage bottom, causing it to tilt, and deceased was thrown out and fell down the shaft, a distance of about 32 fathoms. | |
| 1907 | May | 9 | Cowdenbeath | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Robert Frail | 19 | Drawer | Falls of roof | The roof fell and threw out some timber, and deceased was injured and subsequently died. The timber was not properly set and roof would not in all likelihood have fallen if the timber had been put up as it ought to have been. | |
| 1907 | May | 13 | Townhill | Fife | West of Fife Coal Co Ltd | George Henderson | 42 | Boiler fireman | On surface – boiler explosions | See Report From Main body of report: A boiler exploded at No. 6 Pit, Townhill, Fife, whereby one man was killed. There were four boilers in the range, all of the cylindrical egg-end type, of different sizes, coupled together, with a working pressure of 45 lbs. per square inch. On the morning of the accident – Monday - the furnaceman, who should have turned out to do day shift duty, failed to turn out, and the furnaceman, George Henderson, who had worked his long turn, agreed to remain on duty. His duties were to keep up steam and attend to the water in the boilers. Each boiler in the range was fitted with a float, in addition to a glass water-gauge, but for some time prior to the accident there had been no glass in the water-gauge of the boiler which exploded. The pit appeared to be short of boiler power, and consequently there was difficulty in keeping up a regular supply of steam. About 4.30 p.m. one boiler - the outside one of the range - suddenly exploded, and divided into three parts, one part, the largest, going a distance of fully 70 yards, and wrecking the chimney in its passage, a second part going in the opposite direction, and destroying the pithead scaffold, and a third part went against the wall of the stoke hole. Deceased was found on the stairs at the stoke hole. An examination of the parts showed that the cause was overheating due to shortness of water. The Board of Trade Commissioners, after hearing evidence, concluded that: - (1) "If a new glass water-gauge had been fitted to the boiler, so that Henderson could, by a glance, have ascertained the level of the water, or, (2) if Henderson had not been allowed to work for nearly 36 hours on end, the explosion would not have occurred." There was no reason why the glass should not have been fitted into the water-gauge, immediately after it had broken, and the engineman was seriously at fault in not having this done. At every pit the furnaceman has to work a long turn to change the shifts, and during the Sunday and Sunday night the work is comparatively light as compared with the winding shift. It is quite a common thing for a workman to stand an extra shift, in order to oblige his neighbour, without any hardship except that a few hours sleep are lost, but the most important reason is that if a man did not occasionally work an extra shift, when a particular man fails to turn out to his work, the operations would cease for the day to the loss of all concerned. The deceased man volunteered to do the work, and considering the easy shifts he had on the two shifts previous, he was quite able for the work. I do not think the manager was in any way to blame. |
Newspaper report - Fife pages |
| 1907 | May | 15 | Carronhall | Stirling | Carron Co | John Sneddon, jun. | 16 | Drawer | Falls of roof | Deceased was filling coal into a tub at the face, when the roof fell upon him. The roof was insufficiently propped. | |
| 1907 | May | 15 | Blantyre No 3 | Lanark | Wm Dixon Ltd | Wm. Smith | 16 | Drawer | Falls of side | Fall of roof on road, caused by his hutch going off the rails and knocking out a prop. | |
| 1907 | May | 15 | Greenhill | Lanark | Greenhill Colliery Co Ltd | Matthew Ewing | 45 | Contractor | Falls of roof | Deceased was driving a road through the waste, and while engaged picking the " stowed " debris the roof fell upon him. | |
| 1907 | May | 16 | Kippsbyre | Lanark | Strain Bros | James Smith | 43 | Pitheadman | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | When the cage arrived at the surface, deceased found the tub fast by reason of the coupling link having caught on the cage, and he got round behind to relieve it, and shouted to the engineman to raise, but the latter took it to mean that all was right and began to lower, deceased was carried down the shaft and seriously injured. He succumbed to his injuries eight months after. From Main body of report: When the cage arrived at the surface the pitheadman was unable to get the tub off, and he went round to opposite end to ascertain the cause. While engaged releasing the coupling of the tub from the guard of the cage he shouted to the engineman to raise the cage ; the engineman took it to mean that all was right, and having received the ascent signal from the bottom, he set his engine in motion, and the pitheadman was carried down the shaft to the bottom and crushed between the end of the tub and side of shaft, receiving injury to his spine which resulted in his death about nine months afterwards. The shaft was upcast and closed in so that the engineman had no view, but there was a speaking tube between pithead and engine-house, which, had it been used, would have prevented the accident.[NB This entry is from the 1908 report] |
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| 1907 | May | 16 | Clydeside | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | George Currie | 24 | Pithead labourer | Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface | Whilst pushing a full hutch away from the shaft mouth he slipped and fell back on the top of the descending cage as it was leaving the pithead. | |
| 1907 | May | 17 | Auchingeich | Lanark | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | Robert Addie | 55 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof at working face, owing to want of propping. No notice as to the specified distance for propping was posted up. | |
| 1907 | May | 20 | Shotts | Lanark | Shotts Iron Co Ltd | James McAllister | 48 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased appeared to be withdrawing his sprags when the face fell across the greater part of his working place, and he failed to get clear, and was crushed by the mass. | |
| 1907 | May | 21 | Newcraighall | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | James Downie | 32 | Drawer | Falls of roof | Deceased worked in a heading and the tubs were hauled on the self acting incline principle ; the usual custom was for the drawer to follow up the ascending empty tub, and on meeting the descending load tub to take hold of it and go down the heading; deceased as usual met the loaded tub and followed behind, when it ran away and at the terminus it crashed into the side throwing out some timber, causing the roof to fall, and he was buried beneath it. | |
| 1907 | May | 30 | Newbattle | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | Sinclair Aitken | 45 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was "backening" coal from the rise side of his place, when the roof suddenly fell out from between lypes, and he was crushed beneath it. | |
| 1907 | June | 3 | Prestongrange | Haddington | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | James Russell | 15 | Haulage-boy | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased's duties were to attach and detach tubs to the haulage rope, and it appeared that in detaching the clip from a moving tub he was too near a train of tubs and before he got the clip out he was crashed between the moving tub and the last tub of the train. | |
| 1907 | June | 10 | Garthamlock No 6 | Lanark | Steel Company of Scotland Ltd | John Porter | 35 | Leading Sinker | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Owing to a defective steam crane used as a winding engine for a sinking pit and to the hook getting disconnected from the kettle, the engineman could not raise them in time, and four shots of gelignite went off on them. Another man was injured. From Main body of report: A most unusual kind of blasting accident occurred in Garthamlock No. 6 Pit, and by it two men were killed and one injured. This is a new shaft, 13 feet in diameter, in course of being sunk, and at the time of the accident it was only 20 feet deep. The winding engine for the time being was an ordinary steam jib crane, and on the afternoon shift of the day in question there were five sinkers at work. It appears that they had charged eight shot holes bored in whinstone in the bottom of the shaft., using in all 34 cartridges of gelignite. Thereafter two of the men were raised to the surface in the kettle, leaving the other three men to light the tape fuses of the shots. When the fuses were lighted the men were being raised in the kettle, but they had not been raised more than six feet, when the kettle suddenly dropped to the pit bottom again. The engineman again began to wind up, but unfortunately the hook had become detached from the kettle and he continued winding until the hook reached the surface. Before he could again lower the hook four shots in the bottom of the shaft went off, the men there having managed to pull out four of the fuses. The engineman stated that he had just begun to wind up the three men in the kettle when, unnoticed by him, the clutch by which the pinion wheel on the crank shaft is thrown out and in gear, worked itself out of gear, the consequence being that the drum was disconnected from the engine, and the kettle with the men in it dropped down the pit. There was a break on the drum, but apparently the engineman had not time to put it in operation to stop the descent of the kettle, which, in striking the bottom, either by the shock or by the hook turning upside down, caused the thimble locking the guard to slip off and allow the ring attached to the bow of the kettle to get disconnected from the hook. As regards the primary cause of the accident, viz., the getting out of gear of the driving pinion wheel, the clutch is worked by means of a lever handle working over a quadrant in which there were two shallow notches, the lever being supposed to rest in one when the clutch was in gear, and in the other when out of gear. Unfortunately, these notches had become so rounded off by wear that the vibration of the engine would allow the lever to work out of the notch and move along the quadrant until the pinion wheel got out of gear, and, evidently, this is what occurred and was the cause of the accident. The crane ought not to have been used as a winding engine until this defect had been remedied. |
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| Thos. Emmet | 44 | Sinker | |||||||||
| 1907 | June | 10 | Newcraighall | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | John Pinkerton | 21 | Bencher | Other haulage accidents | Deceased's duties were to attend to the tubs at an incline top and run them by means of a wheel with brake attached. A rake was set in motion, and on the roadway the descending loaded tubs collided with the ascending empty tubs, the result being that the wheel and apparatus connected with it were thrown out and deceased was struck with wheel tree, and instantly killed. | |
| 1907 | June | 12 | Hawkhill | Fife | Kincardine Coal Co Ltd | David Hunter | 14 | Pithead-boy | Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface | Deceased was employed to put empty tubs on the cages, and after loading a cage he climbed on top of fence to watch it descend, and overbalancing fell down the shaft, and landed on the cover, and was firmly fixed between the bridle chains. | |
| 1907 | June | 13 | Kepplehill | Lanark | Kepplehill Coal Co Ltd | Alexander McArthur | 21 | Bottomer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | Deceased was putting a loaded tub on the cage when it left the rails, and he went on to the cage to put it right, when the cage was raised, and he was fatally crushed at the door-heads. No signal to raise was given and the engineman was at fault in taking up the cage. | |
| 1907 | June | 13 | Carfin No 6 | Lanark | Wm Dixon Ltd | John Madden | 49 | Bricklayer's labourer | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | He pricked his finger with his lamp pricker which was stuck in his cap. Blood-poisoning resulted and he died sixteen days after the occurrence. | |
| 1907 | June | 14 | Bannockburn No 1 | Stirling | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | Duncan Macgregor | 21 | Repairer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | When he was working on a dook a drawer let go a full hutch, which ran over him. | |
| 1907 | June | 14 | Hopetoun (oil shale) | Linlithgow | Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co Ltd | William Robertson | 45 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased and another miner were engaged withdrawing the props where a stoop had been extracted and were just retiring when the roof fell, and deceased was crushed beneath the debris. | |
| 1907 | June | 17 | Bothwell Castle No 3 | Lanark | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Robert Strang | 23 | Roadsman | Falls of side | Fall of roof on haulage road while working on it. | |
| 1907 | June | 18 | Dundonald | Fife | Dundonald Coal Co | James Taylor | 35 | Fireman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was acting temporarily as bogieman, on an endless rope haulageway, and he appears either to have jumped off or fallen off the bogie at a narrow part of the roadway and was run over. | |
| 1907 | June | 20 | Earnock No 1 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | John Colligan | 42 | Night fireman | Falls of side | While inspecting a road head, after firing a brushing shot, a stone from the side fell on him. He died from blood-poisoning. | |
| 1907 | June | 20 | Carmyle No 1 | Lanark | James Dunlop & Co Ltd | Wm. Barrowman | 30 | Fireman | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | While dislodging an accumulation of gas with a naked light the gas ignited at his lamp. From Main body of report: Of the seven fatal explosions, four resulted in the death of firemen, men who were supposed to be capable of looking after their own safety as well as the safety of the workmen. Three of these occurred while the man who lost his life was making his inspection with a naked light instead of a safety lamp, while the fourth was caused by the victim striking a match to relight his safety lamp which had been extinguished by fire-damp while making his inspection. |
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| 1907 | June | 21 | Twechar No 1 | Dumbarton | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Hector Adair | 18 | Pony driver | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He seems to have fallen off a race of hutches, which ran over him. | |
| 1907 | June | 22 | Denbeath | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Bernard | 48 | Fireman-Engineer | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | Deceased was superintending the erection of an electrically-driven air-compressor to be used for the purpose of underground shaft sinking; the receiver was guaranteed to stand a pressure of 100 lbs. per square inch. The receiver had been fitted to the compressor and before finally putting the machine in use, a test was ordered. The pressure was gradually put on and when 90 lbs. had been reached the end of the receiver blew out, and it struck deceased and killed him instantly. The ends of the receiver were electrically welded, and it was due to a defect in the welding that the end blew out: the thickness of the metal was 1/4 inch, but at part which blew the welding was only 1/16 inch. | |
| 1907 | July | 1 | Leven | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Joseph Munro | 44 | Roadsman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | While a rake was running on a self-acting incline, a bolt which fixed the brake broke, and the tubs were uncontrolled ; deceased was standing at the top of the incline when he was struck by the empty tubs and killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | July | 2 | Dysart | Fife | Earl of Rosslyn's Collieries Ltd | David Paterson | 28 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased worked in the Dysart Main Coal, which is a very thick seam, and while boring a hole for a shot some overhanging top coal fell upon him, injuring his spine. He died from his injuries 11 months after. | |
| 1907 | July | 4 | Hamilton Palace No 1 | Lanark | Bent Colliery Co Ltd | James McKane | 19 | Pony driver | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | While walking in front of his pony and a race of full hutches, owing to the want of snibbles he was overtaken by the hutches and crushed against the side of the road. | |
| 1907 | July | 5 | Arthur | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | David Kinlay | 55 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | The locomotive came toward the pit pushing a train of waggons in front, and deceased with another workman was made aware of the approaching train, and came out of the waggons which they had been emptying of "duff," as they were to be moved by same train. As soon as the moving train had "buffed," deceased made to go between the space made by the impetus, and just then the moving train, which had not slacked speed, came up and he was fatally crushed. Deceased was warned not to go between the waggons. | |
| 1907 | July | 6 | Gateside | Dumfries | Sanquhar & Kirkconnel Collieries Ltd | Archd. Telfer | 33 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | While taking an empty hutch down an inclined mine, in some unexplained manner he was run over by it. | Newspaper report - Dumfriesshire pages |
| 1907 | July | 7 | Glengarnock No 6 (ironstone) | Ayr | Glengarnock Iron & Steel Co Ltd | Andrew Cooper | 34 | Blacksmith | Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface | Owing to suspended pipes slipping through a gland the planks supporting them and on which he was standing broke, and he was precipitated down the shaft. | |
| 1907 | July | 8 | Bellfield | Lanark | Wm Barr & Sons | Wm. Robertson | 35 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof at working face of a machine wall. | |
| 1907 | July | 9 | Clydeside | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | Alexr. Simpson | 34 | Miner | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Struck or run over by empty waggons being shunted in the siding while apparently attempting to cross the rails. | |
| 1907 | July | 9 | Dykehead | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | George Frame | 25 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof while drawing props. | |
| 1907 | July | 10 | Quarter | Lanark | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | John Heron | 62 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | While shifting the first of four hutches standing on an incline the other three ran over the stop and crushed him against a post. | |
| 1907 | July | 10 | Oakbank (Oil shale) | Edinburgh | Oakbank Oil Co Ltd | Robert Harper | 44 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was passing out from the face, in order to go to his can, for a charge to fire a shot, when the top shale above suddenly fell upon him. | |
| 1907 | July | 19 | Roman Camp (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Broxburn Oil Co Ltd | Paul McDermott | 40 | Drawer | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | In escaping from some pieces of falling shale, he apparently stumbled and received a shock to his system, from which he subsequently died. | |
| 1907 | July | 22 | Cowdenbeath No 10 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | William Ostler | 18 | Driver | Falls of roof | Deceased and another man, were engaged making an airway, through waste ground, when a large fall occurred, displacing some timber which had been recently set, and burying the three men. Ostler with the assistance of the third man managed to get himself freed, and groped his way in the dark to where a pony stood, it led him to the shaft bottom, where he got help. McGartland died before being extricated, and Ostler died five days later. At the Fatal Accident Inquiry, subsequently held into the circumstances of the accident the jury, very properly, commended the plucky action of Ostler in going for help travelling a distance of 500 yards without a light, although himself fatally injured. | |
| Patrick McGartland | 34 | Miner | |||||||||
| 1907 | July | 22 | Riggonhead | Haddington | Riggonhead Coal Co Ltd | Peter Baird | 37 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased's duties were to take down the coal holed by a coal cutting machine, and while thus engaged a stone fell from the roof causing injury to his spine ; he died 14 days later. | |
| 1907 | July | 23 | Greenfield No 7 | Lanark | Greenfield Coal & Brick Co Ltd | Michael Mullan | 35 | Fireman | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | Explosion of firedamp while making his inspection. It was evidently caused by a naked light which he was carrying. From Main body of report: Of the seven fatal explosions, four resulted in the death of firemen, men who were supposed to be capable of looking after their own safety as well as the safety of the workmen. Three of these occurred while the man who lost his life was making his inspection with a naked light instead of a safety lamp, while the fourth was caused by the victim striking a match to relight his safety lamp which had been extinguished by fire-damp while making his inspection. | |
| 1907 | July | 24 | Michael | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | George McGillvray | 44 | Shaftsman | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | Deceased and his neighbour descended the shaft about 4.30 a.m. and went into the dip side to examine the pumps, and after doing so they came back and found the dip cage in the bottom ; deceased made to cross on to the cage at end of the shaft and just as he did so the cage was raised and he was taken up to a " bunton " 8 feet above and fatally crushed. After deceased and his neighbour descended several cages had been run conveying the firemen, and the cage on which deceased stepped had been signalled away in the usual way unknown to deceased. It was clearly the duty of deceased to signal before he stepped on to the cage. From Main body of report: A shaftsman about to step on the cage without having first signalled, when the cage was raised and he was fatally crushed. | Newspaper report - Fife pages |
| 1907 | July | 25 | Clydeside | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | Jas. Nolan | 35 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof at working face. | |
| 1907 | July | 25 | Sundrum No 3 | Ayr | Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd | James Johnstone | 24 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof at brushing face while brushing. He inadvertently displaced two props which supported the stone. | |
| 1907 | July | 28 | Over Dalserf No2 | Lanark | Brand & Co | Joseph McLeer | 23 | Brusher | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | He entered a place, seemingly by mistake, in which the fireman had found gas, and which he had instructed the workmen not to enter, and ignited the gas with his naked light. From Main body of report: Another happened to a brusher who with others had been sent to clear away a fall by the fireman who instructed them not to go beyond a certain screen as he had found gas present ; but being a stranger to that part of the pit the deceased evidently, by mistake, somehow went into the accumulation with his naked light. The fireman ought to have personally shown each workman the point beyond which they were not to go, and the manager, who was aware of the state of matters, should have prohibited the use of naked lights. | |
| 1907 | July | 29 | Newcraighall | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | William Quin | 35 | roadsman | Falls of roof | Deceased was repairing a roadway and while passing under an unrepaired part the roof suddenly fell upon him, and he was killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | August | 1 | Crofthead | Linlithgow | Peter Thornton | James Cumming | 54 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was holing his coal when the roof suddenly fell upon him. | |
| 1907 | August | 3 | Cadder No 17 (ironstone) | Lanark | Carron Co | John McGarry | 51 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | While illegally riding on a race of hutches being drawn up a dook he got crushed against the brick wall forming the side of the road. | |
| 1907 | August | 3 | Michael | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | William Thomson | 41 | Brusher | Falls of side | Deceased and his neighbour were engaged following up the coal cutting machine, securing the roof with wood pillars and packing the same with the holings, when the face suddenly burst, and afterwards the roof collapsed, and buried deceased. The section had only been recently opened, and collapse was due to the " first break." | |
| 1907 | August | 7 | Carmuirs | Stirling | Carmuir Coal Co Ltd | James Docherty | 46 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased had taken down some coal, and was measuring the height for a prop, when the roof suddenly fell upon him. | |
| 1907 | August | 9 | Leven | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Peter Hay | 17 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was passing the foot of a self-acting incline, when he was struck by a runaway tub and injured, which resulted in his death on 18th Nov., 1907. The cause of the runaway was due to the wheel round which the rope passed slipping off the wheel tree, and allowing the whole apparatus to run free. The wheel was secured by a chain wrapped round the wheel tree, and the ends of the chain were nailed to the tree ; the nails came out and chain became loose. | |
| 1907 | August | 10 | Dalmeny (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd | George Rintoul | 35 | Repairer | Falls of roof | During the holiday, deceased and several others were engaged heightening the roof at the pit bottom, and while thus engaged a stone fell and fatally crushed him. | |
| 1907 | August | 12 | Pirnie | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Andrew Brown | 20 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased apparently had withdrawn his sprags, when the coal fell and crushed him against a prop. | Newspaper report - Fife pages |
| 1907 | August | 14 | Fordell | Fife | Countess of Buckinghamshire | Robert M. Morton | 58 | General Manager | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Deceased, and his under manager had been examining the workings of a seam in the shaft, and on arriving back they signalled to be raised to the surface, when all was in readiness they stepped on to the cage and gave the signal, and just then deceased saw that the gate, which was a sliding one, facing the opening was not closed down, and he put out his right foot to press it, when the cage was suddenly raised, and losing his balance he fell off the cage into the shaft. The under manager made an attempt to save him, and caught his jacket, but he was unable to hold him. From Main body of report: The general manager of a colliery went into a seam being opened off the shaft, and on returning stepped on to the cage with his under-manager to be raised to the surface, and after the ascent signal had been given he put out his foot to close the sliding gate that fixed the opening, and just then the cage was raised, and losing his balance he fell over the end of the cage and went down the shaft. | |
| 1907 | August | 15 | Lochhead | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | James Christie | 20 | Miner | Falls of roof | A tub of a rake running on an inclined plane left the rails and striking some timber, caused the-roof to fall opposite a place of refuge where deceased was, and he was crushed beneath the debris. | |
| 1907 | August | 16 | Minto | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | Thomas McLean | 31 | Driver of Coal Cutter | Falls of roof | A coal cutting machine had holed up to a "hitch," and the roof was at once liberated, and a large mass fell upon deceased, and he was killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | August | 22 | Oakley | Fife | Oakley Collieries Ltd | John Reekie | 15 | Assistant Bottomer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | Deceased's work was to take the empty tubs from the cages and couple them up into rakes, while engaged in this work he slipped on the iron plates at the pit bottom, and fell into the cage seat, and just then the cage descended on him. From Main body of report: By a boy slipping on the pit bottom plates close to the shaft and falling into the cage seat just as cage descended. | |
| 1907 | August | 22 | Herdshill | Lanark | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | George Reid | 61 | Enginekeeper | Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface | Deceased was employed as engineman at a shaft only used for lowering timber. The shaft is boxed in at the surface up to a higher level. The cage had been lowered to the bottom, and deceased came to the lower level in order to "dug" a tub of debris on to the cage to raise it to the higher level, and opening the door which fenced the shaft he pushed the tub forward forgetting the cage was not there, and he and it were precipitated to the bottom a distance of 46 fathoms. | |
| 1907 | August | 23 | Bothwell Park No2 | Lanark | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Joseph Vilshinsley | 32 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | When travelling along a haulage road with a pick blade in his hand he was passing a stationary race of hutches when it was started and a hutch drove the pick point into his thigh. | |
| 1907 | August | 26 | Neilston No 3 | Stirling | United Collieries Ltd | George McLennan, Junr. | 24 | Chain runner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | When riding in front of a full race being drawn up an incline to the surface he seems to have fallen off and got run over by the hutches. | |
| 1907 | August | 28 | Banknock Livingstone Pit | Stirling | Young's Collieries Ltd | James Marshall | 50 | Waggon shifter | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | When crossing the rails in front of moving waggons he fell and was run over. | |
| 1907 | August | 28 | North Motherwell | Lanark | Merry & Cunninghame Ltd | William Carberry | 31 | Roadsman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Repairs were being made on an inclined plane, and for the purpose of clearing away the debris, empty tubs were left at various parts of the roadway secured by sprags ; when the tubs were filled, each was lowered by the rope, beginning with the top one, on to the next and coupled ; deceased had apparently forgotten to couple the last tub, and got in front and took out the sprag, and as soon as he did so the tub ran away, pushing him in front and finally running over him. | |
| 1907 | August | 29 | Dysart | Fife | Earl of Rosslyn's Collieries Ltd | John Penman | 45 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was taking down the upper bed of the second working in the Dysart Main Coal seam, when it fell upon him and he was killed instantly. The coal fell away from between two keen parallel lypes which were unseen. | Newspaper report - Fife pages Name on Frances Colliery Memorial |
| 1907 | August | 30 | North Motherwell | Lanark | Merry & Cunninghame Ltd | Hugh McLaren | 64 | Waggon-cleaner | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was leaving one waggon to go into another, when they were set in motion, and he was thrown out and run over. | |
| 1907 | September | 2 | Berryhill No 2 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | David Stevenson | 56 | Fireman | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | While making his morning inspection with a naked light he ignited gas. From Main body of report: Of the seven fatal explosions, four resulted in the death of firemen, men who were supposed to be capable of looking after their own safety as well as the safety of the workmen. Three of these occurred while the man who lost his life was making his inspection with a naked light instead of a safety lamp, while the fourth was caused by the victim striking a match to relight his safety lamp which had been extinguished by fire-damp while making his inspection. | |
| 1907 | September | 3 | Herbertshire No 3 | Stirling | R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd | Alexr. McMurdo | 48 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof at working face. | |
| 1907 | September | 4 | Auchinraith No 2 | Lanark | Merry & Cunninghame Ltd | Jas. McGuiness | 42 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof at working face. | |
| 1907 | September | 4 | Carnock No 1 | Stirling | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | David Jones | 40 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | While illegally carrying compressed gunpowder in his hand while his lamp was on his cap, a spark from his lamp ignited the gunpowder. | |
| 1907 | September | 6 | Dalmeny (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd | Thos. G. Sneddon | 52 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Shot holes were bored in the bottom, mid, and top portions of the seam, and the bottom and mid holes were charged with 1 ½ lb. of gunpowder each. Deceased lighted the fuse of the shots, and apparently some delay was caused, and although the fuse of both shots had a light applied, he and his neighbour were not sure if the ''train" had caught, but they both retired to a place of safety ; as soon as one shot exploded both men went back, and when near the face the mid shot went off on them. It was a violation of Additional Special Rule lA to go back on a shot where an attempt had been made to light the fuse. | |
| 1907 | September | 9 | Auchenharvie No 1 | Ayr | Glengarnock Iron & Steel Co Ltd | Wilson Steel | 14 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | When coupling a tail haulage rope to a hutch the hutch was started by the main race of hutches catching the hook at the top end of the tail rope, and he was run over. | |
| 1907 | September | 10 | No 8 Corbycraigs Pit | Ayrshire | John Scullion | Death not listed in Inspectors report - Fell against a waggon | With thanks to David McAndrew for this information | ||||
| 1907 | September | 11 | Glencraig | Fife | Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | Robert Allan | 30 | Repairer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was employed to take off and put on tubs in endless rope haulage incline by means of Smallman clips. The haulage rope worked intermittently, and stood for long intervals. Deceased was found quite dead at the foot of the incline with a tub on top of him, which had upset. It is thought that deceased may have fallen asleep during the interval that rope stood, and was in the way of the tubs when the rope started. | |
| 1907 | September | 19 | Riddochhill | Linlithgow | Gavin Paul & Sons Ltd | Henry McDonald | 49 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was wedging down the " tumphy " above the coal when the roof suddenly fell away from some unseen lypes upon him. | |
| 1907 | September | 23 | Arniston | Edinburgh | Arniston Coal Co Ltd | William Maxwell | 45 | Attendant on Coal Cutter | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | Deceased had fixed some picks into the disc of a coal cutter, and was oiling the parts prior to starting the machine, when the machine started and the picks in the revolving disc caught him, inflicting terrible injuries to which he succumbed three days later. It was expected that the switch on the machine was off, but unknown to anyone it was on, and when current at the gateway was put on the power went direct to the machine and set it in motion. Deceased gave orders to have the current put on at the gateway. From Main body of report: An accident was caused by a coal-cutting machine at Arniston Colliery, Edinburgh. The machine in use was of the disc type, and the motive power used was electricity. Deceased had fixed some picks in the disc, and afterwards began to oil the bearing parts, and while doing so the disc began to revolve, and before he was aware, the picks caught him and caused terrible injuries. It appeals that one of the machinemen was sent to the gate-end switch-box to put on the current, and immediately switched on, the motor was set in motion. The switch on the motor had been left on by the men of the previous shift, unknown to deceased, and no one took the trouble to look as to the position of the switch handle. Deceased took up the duties for the shift, in place of the regular machineman in charge, who failed to turn out to his work. | Newspaper report |
| 1907 | September | 26 | Bowhill | Fife | Bowhill Coal Co Ltd | Samuel Berry | 24 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was preparing a rest on the solid coal for an advance crown when the roof suddenly collapsed. He died as the result of his injuries eight months after the accident. | |
| 1907 | September | 28 | Nellie | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | David Donaldson | 44 | Assistant Bottomer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | While loading the cage, the tub guard fell, preventing the loaded tubs getting into proper position, and deceased went on to the cage to put matters right, and just then the cage was raised, and he was crushed at the door-heads. The engineman appeared to be at fault in raising the cage before the signal was given. | |
| 1907 | September | 30 | Allanton | Lanark | Wm Barr & Sons | Wm. Martin | 14 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof at working face of machine wall. | |
| 1907 | September | 30 | Newcraighall | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | James Minors | 27 | Drawer | Falls of roof | Deceased and his neighbour were putting up timber, to secure a bad part of the roof, when it suddenly fell upon them. | Newspaper report |
| 1907 | September | 30 | Glencraig | Fife | Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | Patrick Collins | 27 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased had holed his coal for a distance of 10 ft. fully, across the face, and set no sprags, and while continuing to hole further, the coal suddenly fell, and crushed him against a wooden pillar. | |
| 1907 | September | -- | Woodhall No 1 | Lanark | Barr & Higgins | Thos. McGuigan | 33 | Fireman | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | Caught by the toothed wheels of a coal-cutting machine which were not fenced. | |
| 1907 | October | 1 | Townhead No 43 | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | John McCormic | 33 | Brusher | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | His naked light ignited firedamp. The fireman found but failed to clear out gas in adjoining places. From Main body of report: The last fatal explosion was preceded by another whereby another brusher was injured. The fireman found gas in two working places, and, instead of clearing it out as he ought to have done before admitting the brushers, he sent them to work in adjoining places after prohibiting them from entering the roads where gas was accumulated. Some time after, one of the brushers went into one of the places in which gas was reported, to get a saw, with the result that he ignited the gas and got burnt. In about 20 minutes after this explosion the fireman was entering the place adjoining the one in which the other accumulation of gas had been found to visit the deceased who was working there when a second explosion took place, fatally injuring the brusher and injuring the fireman also. | |
| 1907 | October | 2 | Hayhills No2 | Ayr | Hayhills Colliery Co | John Seymour | 18 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof in working place. A shot had displaced several props, and apparently these had not been re-set. | |
| 1907 | October | 7 | Tannochside No 3 | Lanark | Archd. Russell Ltd | Jas. Brodie | 27 | Assistant bottomer | Shaft accidents – things falling into shaft from surface | A piece of coal fell down the shaft, apparently from the surface, and struck him on the head while putting a full hutch on the cage. | |
| 1907 | October | 8 | Allanton | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | William McGowan | 44 | Fireman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was in front of a drawer, who was pushing a loaded tub outbye when he was overtaken and crushed by the tub, he died from his injuries 23 days later. The drawer was not aware that deceased was in front of him. | |
| 1907 | October | 10 | Lochhead | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | James Brown | 61 | Fireman | Falls of roof | A fall had taken place in a roadway to the upper portion of the Dysart Main Coal S earn, and deceased was on the top punching off some loose parts, when more coal fell and striking the crowbar drove it through his body inflicting injuries to which he succumbed in a few hours. | |
| 1907 | October | 12 | Polton | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | William Harper | 26 | Contractor | Falls of side | Deceased was clearing away debris, when the coal suddenly burst over the sprags, and falling on him killed him instantly. | Newspaper report |
| 1907 | October | 14 | Blackrigg | Linlithgow | United Collieries Ltd | John McGoldrich | 24 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was apparently trying to move a waggon partly loaded against a gradient of 1 in 48, by means of a crowbar on the wheel, when it moved back and by some means he fell on the rail and the last wheel rested on his body. | |
| 1907 | October | 15 | Manuelrigg | Stirling | United Collieries Ltd | John Montague | 47 | Waggon-trimmer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | The colliery manager went to the siding where empty waggons were collected, and after putting down the brakes of four waggons, began to run five down toward the coal screen ; the train ran away and collided with three waggons under the screen and sent them forward. Deceased, who was having a meal, at once rose, and running towards the three moving waggons, tried to stop them with a "trig," but fell before them and was run over. The pitheadman ran to his aid and had just time to lift him into the four-foot way and lie down beside him when the runaway train passed over them. | |
| 1907 | October | 15 | Broxburn (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Broxburn Oil Co Ltd | John McVey | 42 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was pinching off bottom shale, when the roof suddenly collapsed and buried him. | |
| 1907 | October | 18 | Haugh No 1 | Stirling | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Henry Stirling | 65 | Fireman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Whilst going up a haulage road he was caught by empty hutches released by the rope getting detached from the jiggers. | |
| 1907 | October | 21 | Dunnikier | Fife | Walter Herd & Son Ltd | William Bowman | 55 | Repairer | Falls of side | A room was being made for a motor, in an old roadway, which had fallen a considerable height, and while deceased was filling a tub with debris, a small stone fell off the side and struck him. The injuries were considered very slight, but he succumbed from the effects 16 days later. | |
| 1907 | October | 23 | Dechmont No 2 | Lanark | Archd. Russell Ltd | Robert Anderson | 17 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | When travelling down a self-acting incline he was overtaken by the full race and run over. | |
| 1907 | October | 24 | Dysart | Fife | Earl of Rosslyn | Alexander Eadie | 19 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was at work in the first working of the Dysart Main Coal Seam, when the roof coal fell over a large area, and part fell on him and crushed him against a tub, which he was filling at the time. | |
| 1907 | October | 27 | Douglas Park | Lanark | Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | John Murdoch | 50 | Brusher | Falls of side | Fall of roof on road while repairing it. | |
| 1907 | October | 30 | Clyde Colliery, Backmuir No 2 | Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | Thos. Scholes | 53 | Roads man | Falls of side | Fall of roof on road while repairing it. | ||
| 1907 | October | 30 | Cowdenbeath | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Dougray | 45 | Miner | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | Deceased worked on the back shift, in a level of a seam being opened out mid-way in the shaft. There were no gates to fence the opening, but a bar was placed across during the fore shift, when no one was in the seam, and the bar was taken off when the back shift commenced and left off during the whole time the shift was at work. At stopping time deceased came from the face with a loaded tub, and evidently thinking the cage was there pushed it into the open shaft, and he and it were precipitated to the bottom a distance of 67 fathoms. From Main body of report:One man was killed by falling from a mid-working : a seam had been broken off from the side of the shaft, and the opening was sufficiently far in to allow of a gate being fixed in position, with indicator to engine-house on surface ; instead of this a bar was placed across the entrance, which was removed at the beginning of the shift and not replaced until the shift was finished, the result being that deceased pushed a loaded tub into the open shaft, and he and it fell to the bottom. | |
| 1907 | November | 2 | Redding | Stirling | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | James Smith | 40 | Machineman for Coal Cutter | Falls of roof | A brushing shot had been fired at the roadhead, which brought down the roof for some distance on one side of the wall; after the debris thus brought down, had been cleared to allow the coal cutter to pass, cutting was again commenced, and shortly after the roof fell upon deceased killing him instantly. The charge of the shot was too heavy and broke the roof across the face, and the fall was due to this cause. | |
| 1907 | November | 6 | Hopetoun (oil shale) | Linlithgow | Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co Ltd | John Gow | 60 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | The rope of a short "cuddie brae" dipping 1 in 1 1/2 in use for deceased's working place broke, and deceased, instead of waiting until a rope was supplied, attempted to lower a loaded tub to the level by hand, he going in front and his drawer holding on behind ; as might have been expected the tub overpowered them, and ran forward on deceased injuring him so severely that he died three days later. In going in front of the tub deceased contravened one of the Additional Special Rules. | |
| 1907 | November | 6 | Polmaise No 3 & 4 | Stirling | Archd. Russell Ltd | George Davidson | 35 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof at working face of a machine wall. | |
| 1907 | November | 7 | Blairadam | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | William Ford | 16 | Pony Driver | Other haulage accidents | Deceased was riding on a loaded rake of tubs coming up an engine haulage dook, and at a low part of the roadway his head came in contact with the roof. | |
| 1907 | November | 7 | Earnock No 1 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | John Hunter | 27 | Bencher | Haulage – ropes or chains breaking | He was at the bottom of a self-acting incline when the rope broke and he was caught by the runaway full hutches. The rope which had newly been put on was so worn and corroded that it was unfit for use. | |
| 1907 | November | 11 | Lochore | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | John McCabe | 42 | Repairer | Falls of side | Deceased was laying rails on main dook road, when a piece of ironstone from the side fell, and striking his head, killed him instantly. | |
| 1907 | November | 13 | Aitken | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | John Hunter | 40 | Fireman | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Deceased was the shot firer, and went to a coal face to fire two shots. The explosive used was Saxonite fired by Bickford's safety igniters. One igniter missed, and it is supposed he attempted to light the fuse by means of a red-hot wire heated at the light of the Davy safety lamp, after he had cut the igniter off the end of fuse, this caused delay, and the other shot which had previously been lighted exploded on him. | |
| 1907 | November | 14 | Dalbeath | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Robert Adamson | 26 | Brusher | Falls of roof | A pump room was being made, and deceased was engaged removing debris in tubs from inside a brick arch, when the arch collapsed, and falling on deceased he was killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | November | 15 | Hopetoun | Linlithgow | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Andrew Agnew | 46 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was shovelling coal which he had just taken down from the face, when the roof suddenly fell upon him. He died from his injuries nine months after the accident. | |
| 1907 | November | 15 | Wilsontown | Lanark | William Dixon Ltd | John Davidson | 56 | Repairer | Falls of side | Deceased and some other workmen were engaged making a recess for the frame of a wheel in connection with haulage, when a large stone fell away from the side and struck him, causing fatal injuries. | |
| 1907 | November | 16 | Blackhill No 9 (ironstone) | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Hugh Gibbin | 22 | Road repairer | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | While handling gelignite and a detonator, in some unexplained manner they exploded. | |
| 1907 | November | 18 | Kepplehill | Lanark | Kepplehill Coal Co Ltd | John Mulvey | 30 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Three shots were charged, and deceased was left to light the fuses : he had lighted two, and apparently was delayed in lighting the third, and the two shots exploded on him before he got out of harm's way. The fuse of the third shot had the appearance as if an attempt had been made to light it: deceased's lamp was found near to the shot, and it seems as if the spitting of the fuse had extinguished his light, and he had stopped the fuse burning with his fingers, and was then moving away in the dark when shots exploded. | |
| 1907 | November | 18 | Govan No 6 | Lanark | Wm Dixon Ltd | Ernest Wales | 18 | Labourer | On surface – by machinery | While shovelling coal into conveyer below the pithead scaffold he got caught by unfenced machinery. | |
| 1907 | November | 19 | Auchingeich No 2 | Lanark | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | Terrence Cogger | 30 | Sinker | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | A bolt, suspending to a rope a scaffold on which he was perched, broke, leaving him suspended to the rope. Being unable to hold on he dropped down the shaft. | |
| 1907 | November | 19 | Highhouse | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | John Munro | 14 | Stone picker | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | When crossing the rails at the screens he was crushed between waggons. | |
| 1907 | November | 22 | Longrigg | Lanark | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | John Brown | 29 | Miner | Falls of side | While engaged at the coal face some pieces of " fallen " and coal came away and striking his left leg injured the knee; the injury was thought to be trifling, but serious symptoms came on, and he died eleven days after the accident. | |
| 1907 | November | 25 | Coursington | Lanark | Wishaw Coal Co Ltd | John Conlin | 14 | Dirt-picker | On surface – by machinery | In order to take away the dirt picked off the travelling tables, a conveyer runs under the floor at right angles to the tables, and a hole 11 1/2 inches by 8 inches is made between the tables, into which the dirt is thrown ; around this hole is fence 9 inches high to protect anyone from getting into the conveyer. Deceased wanted to get a shovel, and instead of going round for it, he reached across the opening and, stumbling, his right foot went down and was caught by the conveyer. | |
| 1907 | December | 2 | Newbattle | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | William McLuskie (Pole) | 23 | Brusher | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Deceased and his neighbour were charging a hole with compressed gunpowder in pellets, and while doing so, a spark from his neighbour's lamp, which was in his cap, fell on a pellet as it was being handed to deceased to put into the hole. | |
| 1907 | December | 2 | Neilston No 3 | Stirling | United Collieries Ltd | George Bowe | 44 | Night fireman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Whilst acting as a chain runner he was sitting in front of a full race being drawn up an incline to the surface when he was apparently caught by a very low crown, thrown off and run over by the hutches. | |
| 1907 | December | 9 | Dalzell & Broomside | Lanark | Wishaw Coal Co Ltd | Herbert Williams | 37 | Miner | Falls of roof | A shot was fired in the fast corner, which threw out a large block of coal, and in its course to the waste, it carried away some props supporting the roof. About two hours later deceased went under the roof to examine it, when a fall took place and he was killed instantly. | |
| 1907 | December | 12 | Woodmuir | Edinburgh | United Collieries Ltd | William Thornton | 15 | Dirt-picker | On surface – by machinery | This boy crossed a fence, and his clothing got caught by the shaft of the coal cleaning machinery, and he was fatally injured. | |
| 1907 | December | 12 | Woolmet | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | James Beveridge | 31 | Brusher | Falls of side | The roadway was being widened close to the shaft bottom to make room for a brick wall, when a piece of coal fell off the side upon deceased. | |
| 1907 | December | 13 | Bowhill | Fife | Bowhill Coal Co Ltd | Andrew Ritchie | 39 | Pump motorman | Miscellaneous underground - electricity | See Report From Main body of report:An accident due to this cause [electricity] occurred at Bowhill Colliery, Fife. The system is alternating, with voltage of 500, three phase, and the cable is armoured. In the Lochgelly Splint Coal dook a three throw pump had just been placed, 1,100 yards inbye, and only a few days started prior to the accident. No one saw the accident, and when deceased was discovered he appeared to have been dead for some considerable time. He lay across the sole plate of the motor, and partly under it, and beside him was a piece of iron 18 inches long by 1 1/2 inches broad by 1/2 inch thick ragged and sharp at one end, and on examining the cable at the junction where the separate cores leave the armoured part to join the stator coils of the motor, a puncture was discovered right through the insulation to the upper core, while near the cable was a piece of wooden flooring. It appears that while the motor was in motion deceased attempted to put in some flooring under the cable, and in order to get the flooring in position he had to raise the cable, and for this purpose he took the piece of iron to lever it up, with the result that the sharp end cut through the insulation, making the piece of iron "live" and causing the full current to pass right through him. The motor was properly "earthed" by a separate wire carried back to the armouring on the cable, which cable in turn was " earthed " at various parts between the pump and the shaft. | |
| 1907 | December | 16 | Lochhead | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Robert Duff | 62 | Miner | Falls of side | While deceased was holing, a piece of coal fell away between two sprags and, striking him on the chest, caused internal injuries from which he died five days afterwards. | |
| 1907 | December | 16 | Haugh No 1 | Stirling | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | James Linn | 14 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of roof in working place. | |
| 1907 | December | 17 | Kames No 1 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Daniel McVey | 42 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of side on road while enlarging it. He failed to support it with sprags while holing. | |
| 1907 | December | 18 | South Longriggend No 2 | Lanark | James Gemmell | William Dalziel | 30 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | After firing three shots of gelignite with fuse he went back, when a fourth shot, the fuse of which was said not to have kindled, went off on him. It is supposed that the fuse had been kindled by the flame from one of the other shots. | |
| 1907 | December | 19 | Blackhill No 9 (ironstone) | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Charles Connolly | 22 | Drawer | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | When opening a canister containing gunpowder, a spark from his lamp which, contrary to the regulations, he had on his cap, ignited the contents. | |
| 1907 | December | 19 | Polmaise No 4 | Stirling | Archd. Russell Ltd | William Smith | 19 | Haulage engineman | Miscellaneous underground - electricity | On taking hold of a switch handle he got a shook of electricity. Apparently the casing had become live. From Main body of report:One man was killed by an electrical shock in Polmaise No. 4 pit. The shaft bottom was lighted by electric incandescent lamps arranged two in series, the current being taken from the power cable, and the conductors were placed inside iron tubes earthed by being connected to the armour of the shaft cable which in turn was connected to the sole-plate of the dynamo on the surface. The electrical supply is alternating, with a voltage of 500 and a periodicity of 50. The deceased and other two men were alone at the pit bottom when they observed electric sparks passing between the tube containing the lamp leads and an iron beam with which it was in contact. Upon observing this, the deceased went to the switch close at hand to cut off the current, and, on touching it, received a shock which caused his death in about 15 minutes. Apparently the iron tube in which the leads were enclosed had become temporarily live, but what caused this, and how the previous state of matters was restored, have not been ascertained. Owing to alterations being carried out at the shaft bottom, the tubing in which the leads were enclosed was not joined directly to the armour of the shaft cable, but was temporarily connected with it by a piece of steel rope. It is evident that there must have been some defect in the earthing arrangement, otherwise the deceased would not have got the shock which caused his death. | |
| 1907 | December | 25 | Lanemark Colliery, Rigfoot pit | Ayr | Lanemark Coal Co Ltd | Alexr. Mathieson | 21 | Drawer | Falls of side | Fall of roof on road while clearing away a fall. | |
| 1907 | December | 28 | Gartshore No 11 | Dumbarton | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | David Liddell | 19 | Bogie man | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | When walking down haulage road in front of a race of empty hutches he was run over by five of the hutches which got uncoupled. | Newspaper Report - Dunbartonshire accidents |
| 1907 | December | 29 | Lochhead | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Andrew Morris | 49 | Fireman | Miscellaneous underground – by underground fires | See Report
| See Main Site for Inspectors report & Newspaper Report |
| William Scott | 52 | Pitwright. | |||||||||
| John Kilpatrick | 44 | Fireman | |||||||||
| 1907 | December | 31 | Lumphinnans | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Walter Scott | 56 | Carter | On surface – miscellaneous | Deceased were filling burning ashes into carts from an ash bing at the colliery, when a slide took place and both were severely burned, and subsequently died. From Main body of report:In one case two men were filling hot ashes into a cart at an ash bin, when a slip took place and both were so badly burned that death resulted in a few days afterwards. [NB Extra details from 1908 report] | |
| Patrick Hanley | 62 | Labourer | |||||||||
