| Date of Accident | Mine | County | Owner or Company | Name | Age | Occupation | Category | Cause of accident & remarks | Additional Information | ||
| 1908 Death | Kippsbyre | Lanarkshire | Strains Bros | James Smith | 43 | pitheadman | See 1907 accidents (16 May 1907) | ||||
| 1908 | January | 3 | Gauchalland No 2 | Ayr | Gauchalland Coal Co | James Gilmour | 50 | Fireman | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | While recklessly working with a pick while standing on a loose plank which was not level, the plank slipped and he was precipitated down the shaft. | |
| 1908 | January | 7 | Bargany No 2 | Ayr | Bargany Coal Co Ltd | Gilbert McWhirter | 56 | Labourer | Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface | He pushed a hutch of ashes into the open shaft at the low scaffold and fell after it. He evidently thought that the cage was there. | |
| 1908 | January | 9 | Blantyre No 4 | Lanark | Wm Dixon Ltd | Robert McMurdo | 28 | Brusher | Falls of roof | When putting in a building at a roadhead, and after knocking out at least one prop, the roof gave way and fell upon him. Three props were afterwards found under the fall, but it is doubtful whether or not these had been displaced by the fall. | |
| 1908 | January | 10 | Neilsland No 2 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | Robert Muir | 62 | Sinking contractor | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | While working on a hanging scaffold suspended by the winding rope, in stepping back he tripped over a bunton and fell 100 feet into 7 feet of water, and was fatally injured. | |
| 1908 | January | 10 | Bowhill | Fife | Bowhill Coal Co Ltd | Andrew Kerr | 38 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | A stone mine was being driven in hard "metals," and material was taken out by blasting. The holes were bored by compressed drills, and during the fore shift 21 were completed ready for charging. Deceased's duties were to charge the holes and fire them, and while engaged charging the first, a premature explosion occurred. Apparently he was pushing in the explosive, which was gelatine. The explosive was not in proper condition. | |
| 1908 | January | 11 | Carfin No 3 | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | Alexr. Storris | 28 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | When returning from his work, he was overtaken on a self-acting incline by nine runaway empty hutches, which had been released by a coupling breaking. | |
| 1908 | January | 13 | Fortrigg | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | James Dowther | 71 | Foreman Dirt Picker | On surface – by machinery | The table for nuts is driven by a belt off a pulley situated outside the pithead shed, and while in operation the belt came off the pulley. In order to get belt on, deceased got a ladder, took off the box in which the pulley ran, and proceeded to slip the belt on while pulley was in motion, when the shaft end caught his clothing and he was taken round and left suspended, in mid air. He was dead before released. | |
| 1908 | January | 13 | Cauldhame No 1 | Ayr | Arch. Finnie & Son | Wm. Adams | 46 | Waggon trimmer | Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface | He pushed a hutch of ashes into the open shaft at the low scaffold and fell after it. He evidently thought that the cage was there. | Newspaper report |
| 1908 | January | 15 | Quarter No 1 | Stirling | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Thomas Wilson Hamilton | 53 | Reddsman. | Falls of roof | When setting props to secure broken timbering on a road which he was repairing, the roof gave way and fell on him. | |
| 1908 | January | 15 | Lochore | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | John Bauld | 40 | Shaftsman | Falls of roof | The dip cage was being loaded and bottomer pushed forward a tub to complete the load on deck, when it ran too far to the dip side, and striking a " leg " threw it out and caused girder to fall, releasing some debris which fell on deceased. He attempted to keep the tub off the " leg " but failed. | |
| 1908 | January | 20 | Cultrigg | Linlithgow | Barr & Thornton | William Knox | 34 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was working between two faults, when the side came away suddenly, carrying two sets of timber, and burying him beneath the fall. | |
| 1908 | January | 21 | Cowdenbeath | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | George Anderson | 50 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was beginning a new " slice " from a stoop. He had worked off some bottom coal and left the top coal overhanging, and while preparing a place for a sprag the overhanging part fell on him. | |
| 1908 | January | 22 | Hyndshaw | Lanark | Chapel Coal Co Ltd | John Bryson | 51 | Fireman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was making some repairs on the dook haulage road. When rake was ascending he stood to the side to allow it to pass, but the space was too narrow and he was crushed by the tubs. He had ample time to go to a manhole 6 feet below from the time the rake began to move up. | |
| 1908 | January | 23 | Orbiston No 3 | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Andrew Derris | 32 | Miner | Falls of roof | Fall of roof in working place while taking down coal. A crown and a prop supporting the part of the roof which fell were said to have been displaced by the fall. | |
| 1908 | January | 23 | Greenfield No 1 | Lanark | Archd Russell Ltd | John Wilson | 41 | Repairer | Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface | He pushed a hutch of props into the open shaft at the low scaffold and fell after it. He evidently thought that the cage was there. | |
| 1908 | January | 23 | Dysart | Fife | Earl of Rosslyn's Collieries Ltd | Alexander Combe | 51 | Roadsman | Miscellaneous underground - electricity | See Report | The first accident occurred at Dysart Colliery, Fife. A concentric cable, carrying 3 cores 37-12 W.G. wires for a three-phase current, was placed in a wooden box or rhone and the space inside filled with bitumen. The box was laid on one side of the haulage roadway. At one part of the roadway water dripped from the roof, and in order to protect the box deceased was instructed to lay corrugated iron sheets on top, and to fix them by tying, instead, however, of tying he drove a nail into the box which passed in through to the cable, and reaching one of the box wires caused the iron sheet to become live ; his left hand rested on the sheet while he drove in the nail, and current passing through his body to earth, he received a fatal shock. The voltage was 250. |
| 1908 | January | 28 | Dysart | Fife | Earl of Rosslyn's Collieries Ltd | William Watson | 24 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | The back shift had filled their tubs and run them on to the haulage dook as usual. The tubs were lifted by the fore shift in rakes of 6 or 8, and to each rake a bogie was attached. Deceased was on his way to his work and passed the rakes, and when down some distance he heard tubs coming, and thinking it was empty tubs he stepped on to load road and was knocked down by a runaway rake of loaded tubs. He died from his injuries four months after. | |
| 1908 | January | 28 | Aitken | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Alfred Williamson | 34 | Brusher | Falls of side | Deceased and two others were brushing a road, and had almost completed the work,while " topping " the building on low side of road, a mass of coal and blaes burst from the face and he was instantly killed. | |
| 1908 | January | 29 | Tullygarth | Clackmannan | James Fyfe & Co | William Mitchell | 62 | Fireman | Falls of roof | Deceased was making his second inspection, and on arriving at one of the working places he sat down under the brushing to speak to the miner, when a large piece of sandstone fell upon him. Had he examined the stone before sitting down, probably he would have discovered its unsafe condition. | |
| 1908 | January | 30 | Fairlie No 3 | Ayr | Caprington & Auchlochan Collieries | Wm. Owen | 57 | Roadsman | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | When lifting old rails he scratched his finger. Blood poisoning resulted, and he died on 8th February. | |
| 1908 | February | 2 | Lochore | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | William Gibson | 16 | Drawer | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | See Report |
The most serious explosion occurred in the Mynheer Coal Seam
of the Mary Pit, Lochore Colliery, belonging to Fife Coal Co.,
Ltd., causing the loss of three lives and injuring five persons.
[see
plan] The shaft is the deepest in the district, being 670 yards to the Five Feet Coal Seam. The seams passed through are the Diamond at 490 yards and the Mynheer at 624 yards from the surface. The Mynheer Seam had only recently been "broken away" from the shaft, and parallel levels were being driven to the right with a view to connect with the Five Feet Seam below by means of a cross-cut mine from the latter, while on the opposite side a single roadway was advancing towards a point where a blind shaft was to be sunk also to the Five Feet Seam for connection. Shortly after opening out gas was given off the seam and safety lamps were put in, and were being used at time of accident. To provide ventilation, a fan 20 inches diameter was placed in the lower level a short distance inside of No. 1 heading, at A, and continuous current electric power supplied by an open-type motor; the fan pulled air from the shaft, which was downcast, and forced it through the workings, after which the air returned again to the shaft by a narrow opening where it joined the main current descending the shaft. When the fan ceased to operate the air current went the reverse way, and in order to allow it to circulate the screen at C, which had to be kept down when the fan was at work, was raised. The work in the seam was continuous - three 8-hour shifts during the 24 hours, and for each there was a fireman. In the ordinary course of working the fan was kept going constantly, but it was stopped at the weekends and started again on the Sunday night just prior to the shift beginning. On the night of the accident seven men descended the shaft to the Five Feet Seam, and on arriving had to wait until a fireman could be got to take the place of the regular fireman, who had failed to turn out owing to a misunderstanding with his neighbours. The oversman in charge asked a young man, who had little knowledge of gas or of a fireman's duties, to make the inspection, and he went up to the Mynheer Seam accompanied by the miners. On arriving at the shaft bottom he set the fan in motion to allow the air current to clear out any gas which might have collected during the interval the fan stood prior to inspecting the workings, and shortly after the fan started to run an explosion took place, followed by three others in quick succession ; the first explosion threw an empty tub forward which crashed through the fence gate, and both were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft. One man was at the same time thrown down the shaft, and the second explosion threw a second man down the shaft. The others were more or less burned, and one afterwards succumbed to his injuries. Early next morning I arrived at the pit, accompanied by Mr. Masterton, and we made a thorough inspection as far as it was possible, and after an exhaustive enquiry into the causes which might have contributed to the explosion, we concluded that it was due to an explosive mixture being ignited at the motor by sparking from the commutator. On a subsequent inspection it was found that gas had come from a break in the roof in the upper level at D, and that this gas had accumulated during the time the fan was stopped. It was stated by some of the men who worked on the last shift of the weekend that the screen C at the fan was left down, and the result of this would be that the natural air current, which usually passed round the workings, would cease, and any gas given off would accumulate. The statements of the injured men varied as to where the flame was first seen, and two things were set up, one that the level in-bye from the motor was full of gas up to the screen, and the other that explosive gas had been forced out at the screen B in No. 1 heading and reached the motor ; looking at all the circumstances arid facts as far as ascertained the latter was no doubt the cause of the explosion. As soon as the fan forced the air it carried the gas right toward the narrow opening, and the current, now well mixed and explosive, was forced under the screen to the motor, and as the latter was sparking at the commutator, the result could only be an explosion. The first explosion set fire to the brattice cloth and some pieces of wood in the No. 1 heading, and as the fan still continued to run a fresh supply of gas was sent down the heading on the burning material, and thus the second, and probably the third and fourth explosions were caused. The second explosion appeared to have been very violent, and was due to the presence of coal dust on No. 1 heading ; the force, which was considerable, was toward the level and shaft, and was clearly seen by the uplifting of metal plates from their position on heading, throwing down of props and brattice, and the hurling of a rope reel against the stoop side, causing it to rebound on a loaded tub which was overturned. The force in the lower level was slight and also toward the shaft. On several props, which were left standing in the No. 1 heading, caked dust was observed. The fan produced about 3,000 cubic feet of air per minute, and this quantity was sufficient to give good ventilation. The primary cause of the accident was clearly due to stopping the fan at the weekends, as had the fan been kept going, a dangerous accumulation of gas was not likely to happen. The stopping of the fan was the work of the under-manager, and done apparently without the manager's knowledge or consent. In the arrangements for ventilating the workings, due regard had not been paid by the management for observing General Rule 1, and Section V, Rule 4, of the Electrical Special Rules, as by stopping the fan there was not constantly "an adequate amount of ventilation to render harmless noxious gases," and also, that as soon as the air reversed the motor was on the return side and should have been an enclosed one. Newspaper report |
| John Stein | 18 | Miner | |||||||||
| James Law | 18 | Miner | |||||||||
| 1908 | February | 3 | Garthamlock No 6 | Lanark | Steel Company of Scotland Ltd | Wm. Meechan | 25 | Sinker | Shaft accidents – things falling into shaft from surface | By the tipping of a bogie, the catch of which was not secure, a quantity of stones fell down the shaft among the sinkers. Other two men were injured. | |
| 1908 | February | 3 | Hattonrigg No 3 | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Edward Costello | 40 | Miner | Falls of roof | While wedging down coal, the roof gave way. The fall was due to want of props, which he failed to set as required by the regulations. | |
| 1908 | February | 4 | Dalmeny (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd | Joseph Galloway | 40 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | Deceased was at work, and apparently fell against the building on side of road and dislocated his neck. It was supposed he was getting away hurriedly from the face, as the roof was working, when he stumbled. | |
| 1908 | February | 12 | Dalmeny (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd | Alexander Henderson | 26 | Drawer | Falls of roof | For a considerable time the haulage road had been under repair and heightening, the work being done on the back shift. Repairs were going on as usual when a part of the roadway fell, and in order to have it cleared for the fore shift, a large number of hands were employed to clear the debris. Several men got on top of fall to throw the debris into an open space, and while thus engaged a large stone fell from the roof 15 ft. above, killing the fireman on the spot, and injuring Henderson so badly that he succumbed some hours later. The manager was examining the roof at the time, and he and two others were injured. | |
| George Halkett | 38 | Fireman | |||||||||
| 1908 | February | 12 | Bothwell Park No1 | Lanark | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | James Storrie | 50 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of coal while holing it. In falling it displaced a sprag. His neighbour was in the act of drilling a shot-hole to blast the coal down. | |
| 1908 | February | 13 | Blairadam | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Joseph McCallum | 30 | Machineman | Falls of roof | The dook section of the Dunfermline Splint coal was holed by a coal cutting machine, and the run was about 100 yards in length, the cutting being done in the back shift as usual, and the deceased men had charge of the operations. At the time of the accident the machine was nearing the top end of the run when the roof suddenly collapsed burying the men. The fall was very large, and had broken along the face for a distance of 36 ft., and over to the waste for at least 18 ft., and its average thickness was 5 ft. to 2 ft. next the coal face. The stone which was one solid mass, except a small detached portion at the top end, sat down on the wood pillars and threw out the props. The roof was sandstone of a strong nature, and had evidently taken a sudden break. | Newspaper report |
| Robert Park | 24 | Assistant Machineman | |||||||||
| Daniel Cairney | 31 | Assistant Machineman | |||||||||
| 1908 | February | 14 | Bothwell Castle No 4 | Lanark | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Peter Douglas | 18 | Road repairer | Falls of roof | When assisting to re-timber a haulage road, a stone fell from the roof upon him. | |
| 1908 | February | 18 | Portland No 15 | Ayr | Portland Colliery Co Ltd | Robert Black | 51 | Miner | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | (12.15pm) Either a premature explosion of gelignite killed the fireman and ignited an accumulation of gas in the unventilated workings adjoining the place where they were working and caused the death of the other three men, or one of their naked lights first ignited the gas, causing an explosion, and also lighted the gelignite which was apparently in the fireman's hands. | See main pages for more details & Newspaper report |
| John Livingstone | 45 | Fireman | |||||||||
| William Black | 17 | Drawer | |||||||||
| Richard Black | 27 | Miner | |||||||||
| 1908 | February | 19 | Dalkeith | Edinburgh | A G Moore & Co | William Black | 28 | Engine Attendant | On surface – by machinery | Deceased stood on top of a tub to oil the gear wheels of a scraper conveyor while it was in motion, and his clothes became entangled in the unprotected wheels, and his left arm was drawn in and mangled. | |
| 1908 | February | 24 | Carronhall | Stirling | Carron Co | Archibald Hill | 30 | Drawer | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Deceased was descending on the cage for the first time in his life, and failed to keep inside the cover, and just as the cage left the surface his left arm, which was projecting, was crushed. He died from his injuries five days after. | |
| 1908 | February | 26 | Aitken | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Andrew Rodger | 35 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was cleaning dross from the rails at the coal washery dross pits, when some loaded waggons, which had got out of control, ran over him. | |
| 1908 | February | 26 | Hopetoun (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Co Ltd | James McDowell | 40 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was fixing rails on the roadway. The roof was much broken by cross joints, and the timber becoming displaced caused it to fall on him. | |
| 1908 | February | 27 | Lochgelly | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | James Cannon | 40 | Repairer | Falls of side | Repairs were being made on a steep dook ; deceased and another repairer were preparing places for timber, when some coal fell off the stoop side, and striking him he was knocked off his balance and fell to the dook bottom. | |
| 1908 | March | 2 | North Motherwell | Lanark | Merry & Cunninghame Ltd | Peter Guthrie | 57 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased's duties were to run loaded tubs of smudge from the haulage to the fire doors, and empty same ; after emptying a tub it came back on his leg causing abrasion of the skin. The same thing occurred three days later, and blood poisoning supervened, causing death six days after the latter injury. | |
| 1908 | March | 3 | Bardykes No 1 | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Adam Kennedy | 26 | Shaft repairer | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | When stepping off the cage at a mid-working between two bunions he missed his footing and fell 24 fathoms. The entrance opposite the cage was fenced. | |
| 1908 | March | 3 | Giffnock No 2 | Renfrew | Giffnock Collieries Ltd | John Blair | 35 | Coal cutter assistant | Falls of roof | Fall of roof on road while taking off a projection from the side. The vibration of the percussive coal-cutting machine had evidently loosened the roof, which was not secured by crowns as it ought to have been. | |
| 1908 | March | 4 | Lochore | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Robert Bennett | 38 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased worked in a dook dipping 45°. The tubs rested on a prop while being filled ; the prop was insecurely fixed between roof and pavement, and it slipped out at foot, and tub ran back and crushed him against the coal face. He died nine hours later. | |
| 1908 | March | 4 | Dechmont No 2 | Lanark | Archd Russell Ltd | Wm. Shearer | 20 | Pony Driver | Falls of side | When assisting to clear away a fall on a road he was slightly injured by a stone falling from the side and striking his arm. Tetanus set in, and he died eight days after the accident occurred. | |
| 1908 | March | 5 | Loanhead | Edinburgh | Shotts Iron Co Ltd | Michael Wynne | 25 | Drawer | Other haulage accidents | Deceased was late in coming to his work, and in order to reach his place quickly he travelled the carriage way and was caught by the descending carriage and fatally crushed. There is a separate travelling way provided and persons are prohibited from travelling on the carriage way. | |
| 1908 | March | 6 | Belhaven | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | William Gibb | 26 | Waggon Trimmer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased had charge of Ell coal and common dross screens, and ran his own waggons to screens. He had five empty waggons at common dross screen coupled together, one which was loaded he ran out, and put in a second, after which he seems to have been passing behind when the three others moved slowly down, and he was crushed against the buffers of the second. The three waggons behind had not been trigged up. | |
| 1908 | March | 6 | Blackrigg | Linlithgow | United Collieries Ltd | Michael O'Shea | 30 | Sinker | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | Deceased was standing on a scaffold in the shaft, guiding a pipe to put it in position when it struck the scaffold and knocked him off, and he fell 70 feet where he was caught by some fixed pump rods. | A set of pipes was being put in a new shaft, and while a pipe was passing down to its position deceased failed to guide it past the scaffold on which he stood, when it struck the scaffold and knocked him off. |
| 1908 | March | 7 | Pennyvenie No 3 | Ayr | Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd | Wm. Saddler | 20 | Miner | Falls of side | While holing the coal gave way and fell on him. It is said that it broke over three sprags set to support it. | |
| 1908 | March | 9 | Broomhouse | Lanark | Haughhead Coal Co Ltd | Thos. Alexander | 58 | Screeman | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Crushed between buffers of waggons while standing taking his breakfast. | |
| 1908 | March | 10 | Lethans | Fife | Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | Alexander Clark | 50 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | A stone mine was being driven in very hard stone ; two shot holes were bored in the bottom, and while deceased was pushing home the explosive, which was gelignite, with a wooden rammer, it exploded. The explosive apparently was not in proper condition. | |
| 1908 | March | 12 | Auchincruive No 2 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Wm. McMahon | 19 | Drawer | Falls of side | While holing coal it gave way and fell upon him. It displaced a sprag set to support it. | |
| 1908 | March | 12 | Longrigg | Lanark | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | Hamilton Hale | 48 | Brusher | Falls of roof | Deceased had been engaged brushing a road, and had taken down the loose strata made by a shot. A part would not come down by wedging and he left it, and was coming out from the face afterwards when it fell upon him. | |
| 1908 | March | 16 | Birkrigg No 3 | Lanark | Darngavil Coal Co Ltd | John Milligan | 43 | Miner | Falls of roof | When working at the coal face the roof gave way and fell on him. In order to comply with the propping rules, two props should have been set below the stone which fell, and other three alongside. The fireman failed to see that props were set, and both he and Milligan's neighbour were prosecuted and fined. | |
| 1908 | March | 16 | Kinneil | Linlithgow | Kinneil Cannel & Coking Coal Co Ltd | Hugh Paton | 56 | Waggon Repairer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was going under a waggon to make some repairs in repair siding, and just then the locomotive pushed a waggon into siding causing the other waggon to move which ran over him. No one saw him pass under the waggon, although the shunter was walking close by the train on opposite from where deceased entered. | |
| 1908 | March | 23 | Loanhead | Edinburgh | Shotts Iron Co Ltd | John Robertson | 19 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased worked in a bench off the carriage way, and he and a loaded tub fell to the bottom, a distance of 130 ft. The inclination of the seam is 64°, and the tubs are run to and from the various benches by means of a carriage and back balance. He is supposed to have been at side of carriage way and the tub moved forward on him, and he was crushed and afterwards pushed over the bench. | |
| 1908 | March | 25 | Parkhead | Lanark | Glasgow Iron & Steel Co Ltd | James Hamilton | 34 | Bottomer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | Deceased was putting a tub on the cage at a mid-working when the cage suddenly dropped, and he was caught by the cage and fatally crushed. The engineman failed to have his brake sufficiently tight, and the engine moved when weight of tub got on to cage. | One accident was caused by an engineman failing to have his brake sufficiently tight while a bottomer was " hanging " a loaded tub on to the cage at a mid-working, the result being that when the tub was partly on, the cage dropped away and the bottomer was fatally crushed. |
| 1908 | March | 27 | Carmyle No 1 | Lanark | Jas Dunlop & Co Ltd | Jas. Stevenson | 15 | Miner | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | In some unexplained manner he fell off the cage while ascending the shaft. It is probable that a pick which he was carrying under his arm caught a bunton and jerked him off. | |
| 1908 | March | 27 | Michael | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Georgina Wilson | 16 | Coal Picker | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased and another girl had finished their work and proceeded homewards by a siding on which a train of waggons was moving. She was run over and killed instantly. A proper travelling way was provided to obviate travelling on the railway, but the siding was the nearer way. | |
| 1908 | March | 30 | Grangemouth | Stirling | Grangemouth Coal Co Ltd | Alexander Syme | 34 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Deceased and another man were engaged pavement brushing a road. Two shots were charged, and while the other man was putting the tools aside deceased was to light the fuses. He got one lit, but was delayed with the second, and before he got out of harm's way the first shot exploded on him. | |
| 1908 | March | 30 | Bartonholm | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | John Agnew | 34 | Miner | Falls of roof | Fall of roof in coal-cutting machine wall while setting props. | |
| 1908 | April | 2 | Broxburn (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Broxburn Oil Co Ltd | Hugh Chesney | 34 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was engaged stooping, and while taking shale off the face, a fall of roof took place off the waste throwing out several sets of timber, and completely burying him. | |
| 1908 | April | 3 | Straiton (Limestone) | Edinburgh | Clippens Lime Co Ltd | Samuel Steedman | 50 | Miner | Falls of side | The seam has backs usually of a clayey nature, and deceased was taking out a piece of the rock, when a block fell out and fatally crushed him. The stone was surrounded with clay backs. | |
| 1908 | April | 3 | Dalquhandy | Lanark | Waddell & Son | David Lamb | 57 | Carpenter | On surface – miscellaneous | He fell from the top of a new coal washer building, owing to the slipping of a plank on which he was standing. | |
| 1908 | April | 3 | Earnock No 1 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | Joseph Laskins | 35 | Miner | Falls of side | While taking down coal it caught him as it fell. | |
| 1908 | April | 4 | Gavieside (Oil shale) | Edinburgh | Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Co Ltd | Alexander Carmichael | 50 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased and his neighbour returned to the face, after firing a shot, to make the side secure, and when taking off the shale more came down than was expected and part struck him, causing injuries to which he succumbed 6 months after. | |
| 1908 | April | 7 | Dysart | Fife | Earl of Rosslyn's Collieries Ltd | Alexander Bell | 46 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was apparently taking down coal or holing when a piece of overhanging coal fell upon him and he was fatally crushed. There were no sprags up, and deceased's neighbour was to blame in not setting some to the face. | |
| 1908 | April | 8 | Blantyreferme No 2 | Lanark | A G Moore & Co | Joseph Docherty | 35 | Brusher | Falls of roof | Fall of roof at working face while putting in a building. It was stated that three props were knocked out by the fall. | |
| 1908 | April | 10 | Lanemark No 2 | Ayr | Lanemark Coal Co Ltd | Wm. Walton | 42 | Miner | Falls of roof | Fall of roof on road while walking down it. | |
| 1908 | April | 13 | Little Raith | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | Peter McTernan | 28 | Washery Attendant | On surface – miscellaneous | Deceased was in the "pearl" hopper spreading the material when the waggon attendant below, unaware of deceased's position, opened the sluice of hopper bottom to fill a waggon, and he was carried down with material. Before he was extricated he was suffocated. | |
| 1908 | April | 14 | Cousland (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Pumpherston Oil Co Ltd | Edward Campbell | 37 | Miner | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | See Report |
The shale in a section was almost exhausted and there was considerable
waste. Deceased was engaged splitting a stoop, and shortly before
the accident had bored and charged two shots. Before lighting
the fuse he collected his boring tools to take them out-bye,
and had only gone a short distance along the roadway when his
naked light ignited some gas, causing a slight explosion and
burning him. He succumbed to his injuries four days later. The roof in the waste had broken and fallen, liberating gas, which was forced out into the air current. |
| 1908 | April | 27 | Home Farm | lanark | Hamilton McCulloch & Co Ltd | Wm. Nicol | 66 | Waggoner | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | In some unknown manner he was run over by waggons which he was moving in a lye. | |
| 1908 | April | 29 | Arniston | Edinburgh | Arniston Coal Co Ltd | James Mills | 23 | Drawer | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | See Report |
While making his usual morning inspection, the fireman discovered
that a screen had been displaced on a level road of New Section
Great Seam workings, by a fall of stone, causing the air to be
partly cut off from Nos. 1 and 2 headings, which were temporarily
stopped. Having removed the stone, he examined the places in
the Section, including the headings, and finding them clear,
reported accordingly. About noon he returned to the headings
and found some gas at the face of No. 2 heading, and in order
to clear it out, he went to the level and by means of screens
sent a greater supply of air to the face, which carried the mixture
with it to the main drawing road ; the deceased just then was
coming in-bye with an empty tub to his working place, situated
on the in-take side of the headings, when his naked light ignited
the gas, causing a slight explosion, whereby he was burned about
the body. The fireman acted recklessly in dislodging the gas without first withdrawing the men who had occasion to pass between the out-bye and the in-bye side of the headings. |
| 1908 | April | 30 | Donibristle | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Peter Waugh | 22 | Bottomer | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Deceased worked at a mid seam. On finishing for the day he was stepping on to the cage to be raised to the surface when the engineman, apparently in a moment of forgetfulness, moved the cage away, without seeing that the gate indicator was showing "Gate open," and he was crushed against the shaft side, falling to the bottom. | |
| 1908 | May | 1 | Aitken | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Wallace | 21 | Pony-driver | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was driving a rake of 12 loaded tubs outbye towards the shaft, when by some means he got in front of the second tub which rested on him; he was discovered dead by some officials who were proceeding outbye. | |
| 1908 | May | 5 | Aikenhead No 1 | Renfrew | George Crookston & Son | Wm. Stevenson | 31 | Miner | Falls of side | While working at the coal face a piece of overhanging fireclay fell upon him. It was said that it displaced, in falling, a prop set to support it. | |
| 1908 | May | 6 | Glencraig | Fife | Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | Thomas McCormack | 28 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased worked in a place where the roof was bad with " lypes," and while holing a large stone fell upon him. The place was well propped, and stone came from between the props. | |
| 1908 | May | 7 | Hamilton Palace | Lanark | Bent Colliery Co Ltd | James Russell | 67 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | When applying the brake to a moving waggon he put his arm in front of the buffer and got it crushed against the buffer of a stationary waggon. | |
| 1908 | May | 8 | Oakbank (Oil shale) | Edinburgh | Oakbank Oil Co Ltd | Peter Dick | 43 | Shaftsman | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | An old lodgement in the shaft, 22 fathoms up from the bottom was being repaired, and deceased pushed a loaded tub forward into the open shaft, evidently thinking the cage was there, and both were precipitated to the bottom. | Some repairs were being done at an old lodgment in a shale seam about 22 fathoms from the shaft bottom, and deceased pushed a loaded tub forward to the shaft, evidently forgetting that the cage was not there, and he was precipitated to the bottom. |
| 1908 | May | 9 | Dalmeny (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd | Robert Bond | 14 | Signaller | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was engaged at a haulage dook, he left his station and stood between the rails, and when the rope started he was thrown down, and the tubs fatally crushed him as they were drawn up. | |
| 1908 | May | 9 | Carnock No 1 | Stirling | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | Daniel McCall | 37 | Sinker | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | While working on a hanging scaffold the rope slipped over the flange of the winding drum, and the jerk precipitated him down the shaft. There was not a large enough flange on the drum for the amount of rope coiled round it. | |
| 1908 | May | 11 | Bothwell Castle No 3 | Lanark | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | George McKay | 30 | Repairer | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | (3am) Explosion of firedamp ignited by a defective gauze in the lamp which was inadvertently taken into the mine by the fireman after another fireman had broken the top of the gauze in the lamp-room, and had placed it on a shelf. The gas is supposed to have accumulated owing to the closing of an airway by a fall. | Another unusual kind o£ explosion, but which caused the death of two men, happened at Bothwell Castle No. 3 Pit, Lanarkshire. Safety lamps alone were used throughout the colliery. The night fireman and a repairer were engaged working on a road near the coal face when an explosion took place, and both were so severely injured that they subsequently died. The fireman had reported the place all clear, but an examination after the explosion revealed a fall which closed the airway, and this probably was the cause of the accumulation of gas. It appears that the night previous to this explosion another fireman lifted a fireman's lamp in the lamp room to take down the pit, but after taking off the bonnet and pressing the top of the single gauze, the gauze gave way, leaving a wide aperture. This he showed to the overman of No. 4 Pit, and the lamp was replaced on the shelf, but was taken up by the deceased fireman, lighted at the electric battery by him and taken into the pit under the impression that it was in good order. It was wrong on the part of the overman and the fireman, who discovered the defective gauze, to replace the lamp among those that were ready for use, but at the same time, the deceased fireman was the person appointed to examine safety lamps for the night shift in terms of General Rule 10 (i),and see that they were in safe working order. Moreover, he was bound to examine his own safety lamp in accordance with Special Rule 88. As this lamp in its defective state was afterwards found at the place where the explosion took place, the only inference is that it was the cause of the gas becoming ignited. |
| John Tonner | 23 | Fireman | |||||||||
| 1908 | May | 14 | Burnockhill No 1 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Wm. Thomson | 27 | Roadsman | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | (8.30am) When entering a discontinued place along with the fireman his naked light ignited gas. The fireman had not previously made an inspection of the place. | |
| 1908 | May | 15 | Fergushill No 26 | Ayr | Arch. Finnie & Son | Thomas Kirkwood | 25 | Miner | Falls of roof | Fall of roof at working face while holing. There was a building within 2 ½ feet of the coal face, but the fall was bounded on three sides by two faults and a "lipe." | Newspaper report |
| 1908 | May | 21 | Queensberry Mine | Dumfries | Wanlockhead Lead Mining Co Ltd | Wm. Watson | 22 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall of lead ore from hanging wall. | |
| 1908 | May | 21 | Lochgelly | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | Fredrick Pacey | 21 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased put an empty tub on chain, and told the drawer at first cut in brae, 16 ft. up, to "shove over," who did so, but having failed to attach the chain to his loaded tub it ran amain, and before deceased could clear himself he was caught. He died twenty days after. Had deceased obeyed the rule to stand clear while tubs are in motion no accident would have occurred. | |
| 1908 | May | 21 | Hawkhill | Fife | Kincardine Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Davidson | 71 | Night Watchman | On surface – miscellaneous | The colliery was abandoned, and the whole being dismantled. The screening plant building, which was of brick, was being taken down, and one wall only remained. It is not known what occurred, but in the morning deceased was found partly buried by bricks, from the wall which had fallen. | |
| 1908 | May | 22 | Newbattle | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | James Plummer | 19 | Drawer | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | A section of longwall places had been standing, and a new slope road was being driven through the waste cross-cutting the old roads near to the coal face. Two squads of men were employed, one squad brushing in the cross cut, and one in which deceased was redding up the coal faces. The brushing squad were firing a final shot through on one of the old roads, when deceased, who had been sent outbye to ascertain the time, got under the place of shots at the moment of firing, and was instantly killed. Warning was given all round and men posted at different roads, but no one was expected from the road by which deceased came. | |
| 1908 | May | 25 | Mosside | Linlithgow | Gavin Paul & Sons Ltd | Edward Leader | 41 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased had fired a shot in the coal on one side of his " room " and afterwards sat down to hole, when part fell off the face and rolled over ; in his endeavour to clear himself he caused internal injury and died next day. | |
| 1908 | May | 26 | Michael | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Neil O'Donnell | 39 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased worked in second leaf longwall of Chemiss seam, his coal was holed and spragged, and as soon as he had withdrawn one sprag the coal came away suddenly and caught him before he could get clear. | |
| 1908 | May | 27 | Wallyford | Edinburgh | Edinburgh Collieries Co Ltd | John Dickson | 39 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – irruptions of water | See Report | The waste of an old working in Great Seam was tapped in May, 1907, and pressure of water recorded was 185 lbs. per square inch. The water was gradually drained off, and the workings were put up through on an old level in the ordinary way. When the accident occurred an upset 10 feet wide was being driven up, and while taking off coal a burst of water came away suddenly, carrying one man to the drawing level, and before he could be reached he had died. The water ran out the level road, carrying debris before it, and at a trap door, placed in the road for ventilation, it rose sufficiently high to overflow at a brick wall built across a dip opening and rushed down a dook where three men were at work. They heard the noise but were of opinion a tub had run amain, and one of them got behind a building for safety, and realised when it was too late that it was an inrush of water, and was thus unable to escape. An examination of the place where inrush took place showed that there had been a cul-de-sac formed in the dip side of the old level road, into which water had collected. There was a hitch at the place, and in driving to cross it the level had been driven to the dip. The old plan showed a straight road, but the opening to the dip was not shown. According to the plan the upset had 40 feet to go before reaching the level. The last survey on old plan was dated 1865, and up to the time of the accident the bearings were found to be accurate as far as the old workings could be penetrated. |
| George Scott | 26 | Miner | |||||||||
| 1908 | May | 29 | Leadhills (Lead ore) | Lanark | Leadhills Co Ltd | William Cameron | 37 | Bottomer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | As the skip was descending deceased put his head into the shaft at one of the levels and was caught. | |
| 1908 | June | 8 | Prestongrange | Haddington | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Archibald Storrie | 55 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased had blasted the coal in one side of a " room," and was afterwards holing when part suddenly fell and crushed him. | |
| 1908 | June | 8 | Lumphinnans | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | William Graham | 28 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was taking down coal at a longwall face when it suddenly fell and crushed him against a prop. | |
| 1908 | June | 15 | Gateside | Dumfries | Sanquhar & Kirkconnel Collieries Ltd | Robert Henderson | 72 | Roadsman | Falls of roof | When visiting with the manager a part of a road which was being brushed the roof gave way and fell on him. | |
| 1908 | June | 16 | Auchincruive No 2 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | John Dunlop | 19 | Repairer | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | (7.15am) When clearing away a heavy fall he went up on the top of the timbering with his naked light and ignited gas which had accumulated in the cavity. The regulations required safety lamps alone to be used under such circumstances. | |
| 1908 | June | 16 | Dunnikier | Fife | Bowhill Coal Co Ltd | John Wallace | 34 | Dirt Picker | On surface – by machinery | Deceased stood on the picking table, picking out Parrot coal, as table moved along and was carried over the end ; he fell into the screen, and was caught by the plates. Death took place eleven days later. | |
| 1908 | June | 22 | Bellfield No 3 | Lanark | Wm Barr & Sons | David Anderson | 47 | Miner | Falls of side | While working at the face, a piece of head coal gave way and crushed him against a prop. It was stated that sprags supported the head coal, but that these were displaced by the fall. | |
| 1908 | June | 22 | Bedlay | Lanark | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Jas. O'Neil | 20 | Electrician | On surface – miscellaneous | He fell from a girder in the power house, a height of 17 feet, having climbed up to discover a fault in the cable. | |
| 1908 | June | 22 | Whitehill | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | Richard Kitching | 46 | Machineman | Falls of roof | Deceased was in front of a coal cutting machine laying the rails on which it should travel, when the roof suddenly fell upon him. | |
| 1908 | June | 23 | Polmaise No 4 | Stirling | Archd Russell Ltd | Richard Brown | 29 | Miner | Falls of side | Fall from side of a road while sitting taking his breakfast. | |
| 1908 | June | 23 | Kenmuirhill No 1 | Lanark | Glasgow Coal Co Ltd | Philip Martin | 52 | Repairer | Falls of roof | Fall of roof on road while repairing it. | |
| 1908 | June | 25 | Gartshore No 2 | Dumbarton | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Andrew Gray | 28 | Miner | Explosions of fire damp or coal dust | (10.30am) He opened his safety lamp with a split nail, and was relighting it with a match when he ignited gas. | |
| 1908 | June | 27 | Earnock No 1 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | Henry McGuigan | 38 | Brusher | Falls of roof | Fall of roof on road while brushing it and while preparing to set up a prop. | Newspaper report |
| 1908 | June | 30 | Michael | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Jackson | 21 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was engaged working back the splint coal, and while at work the roof collapsed. It appeared that a shot had missed fire, and a second charge was inserted, and both charges fired ; the effect was to loosen the roof and it fell. | |
| James W. Cruickshanks | 27 | Miner | |||||||||
