Mexborough and Swinton Times, April 12, 1929
Electrocuted.
Middlecliffe Linesman’s Terrible Misadventure.
Switch Left On.
Tragic Misunderstanding.
Details of a shocking tragedy at Little Houghton were given at the inquest at Darfield on Friday on Harold Ashwood (26), of 3 Charles Street, Middlecliffe, employed by the Yorkshire Electric Power Company. Ashwood was electrocuted while dismantling overhead electric lines the previous day.
The inquiry was conducted by Mr. C. J. Haworth, and there were present Mr. John Hodgkinson (solicitor, Barnsley, representing the Yorkshire Power Company), Messrs. J.W. Willison, J. J. H. Stansfield and H. C. Fraser, of the Yorkshire Power Company, Mr. W. Brown, M.I.E.E. (H.M. Electrical Inspector of Factories), Mr. A. Smith (solicitor, Barnsley, representing the family).
The father, James Ashwood, colliery banksman, 23, Beech House Farm, Little Houghton, gave evidence of identification.
Ivan Kirkup, electric linesman, 38, William Street, Dewsbury, said he came into the district on Wednesday of last week to dismantle lines on obtaining instructions from the engineer, Mr. Hanson. He had worked in the district before. Witness had charge of the job and there were seven, men on it. The task, was to take down an old overhead line from Houghton Main Colliery that ran into the Company’s power line between two sub-stations. Before setting to work on the lines witness “earthed” them to make them dead.
The Coroner: Which line?—The one leading to Houghton Main Colliery.
Witness said all the lines were given to him as “dead” by’ Mr. Hanson, the engineer. After “earthing” at the colliery witness went to the “T. off” at the other end. Ashwood went up a pole to put on a “stay” to hold the pole against the line when disconnected from the Company’s line between the sub-stations, Witness was at the bottom of the pole. Ashwood climbed over the wires and had taken hold of a wire with one hand and an iron channel with the other when he shouted “Oh!” There were no signs of flame. Ashwood’s body would make a “dead earth” and in witnesses opinion he would be killed instantly. From half an hour to three-quarters elapsed before the power was cut off. They thought it was coming from the colliery but on rushing there they found it did not. Subsequently. it was found that the power came from their own substation at Little Houghton. Dr. Castle arrived while the man was on the post
In reply to Mr. Hodgkinson, Kirkup said they tried to “earth” the line on the spot when they found where the current came from. It was mentioned that the line carried 250 volts.
Dr. W. F. L. Castle said he was called at 3-23 and arrived on the spot at 3-27 He found Ashwood lying across the top of the post with his head on an insulator and his chest on the top of a post. He had hold of a wire with one hand. Witness saw the men “flash.” the wire. About 3-50 the current was cut off and the body was got down. Signs of death were already apparent, but at the suggestion of an official of the Power Company witness tried artificial respiration. There was no sign of injury on the body. The cause of death was electrocution.
Mr. Smith: Do you think if the current had been cut off earlier there would have been any chance of saving his life? – I should imagine death would be almost instantaneous
Ernest Hanson, assistant electrical engineer, Broom Road, Rotherham said he was in charge of the work which Ernest Hanson, assistant electrical engineer, Broom Road, Rotherham, said he was in charge of the work which was being done by Kirkup and others. They had to take down the lines connecting the two substations and the line off it to the colliery. He was always under the impression that the lines were part of a derelict distribution, and therefore assumed them to be “dead.”
The Coroner: What steps did you take to see that the line was dead?
I examined the end of the cable at great Houghton sub-station and found it disconnected and coiled up anti there was no possible chance of trouble there. I walked along the line and saw it was not connected. I found the line at the colliery end was disconnected. I inspected the switch at Little Houghton substation and from the position of the-handle of the switch I assumed that the switch was off. After that I gave instructions to Kirkup to proceed with the work. I saw him short-circuit and earth the section between the colliery and the main line.
The Coroner. What was the object of that?
That is always a safety regulation. Witness said he anticipated that the men would climb the pole.
The Coroner: Where did the power come from?
I afterwards found it came from the switch at Little Houghton. Witness added that there was a looseness about the switch and the handle could be between the “on” and “off” positions when the switch was actually “on.” In view of the tact that he thought the line derelict, and also having regard to the position at the other and he assumed the current was off. Actually the handle had dropped without pulling the switch off. The handle was certainly not in the “on” position.
In reply to Mr. Brown witness said he received his instructions from Mr. Harper, the district engineer, I was not told anything about the condition of lines. Had he not been so sure that the line was off he was would not have takne the position of the switch as he saw it, as evidence that the line was dead. The position of the switch confirmed his assumption.
Mr Smith: you would not in a matter like that act on assumption only?
It is difficult to save. Probably I was overzealous. I had my men there and had to find them work for the afternoon
Mr Willison said definite instructions had been issued to Mr. Hanson’s superior to recover the lines. The matter had been talked of since last summer.
Further questioned, Mr. Hanson said if he had known the line had been recently used he would have examined the switch.
Mr Willison said safety instructions were issued to the men.
Mr. Smith: That means assumption?
Mr Willison: Oh, no. The men proceeded to earth and short the line before working on it.
Kirkup (recalled), said he did not know the lines were disconnected at the “T. joint.” Therefore he thought when he earth the line at the colliery he was “earthing” the lot.
Addressing the jury the Coroner said:
This is a very unfortunate accident. If any person is responsible for it I suppose it is Hanson. The witness, however, has given you what I think is a, very fair account of what happened. He understood that the lines were derelict and one can quite understand how that got into his head. The wires had probably been referred to as something no longer useful and he assumed they were dead. Up to a certain point he did every, thing properly.”
The father said lie thought his son’s life might have been saved if someone had had a key to the power station. He understood they had to break open the door to get in. Mr. Brown, however, pointed out that for reasons of safety only authorised persons were allowed to have keys to the stations.
Mr Brown, Iva, pointed out that for reasons of safety only authorised persons were allowed to have keys to the stations.
The jury found Ashwood was accidentally electrocuted by coming into contact with an overhead electric line which had been inadvertently been left “live.”
The Coroner observed that it was “Death by Misadventure.”
Mr Hopkinson said he wished on behalf of the Power Company to express sympathy with the relatives. I should was a very keen and promising young workman was very shortly be taken on to the Company’s permanent staff.