Kent Messenger & Gravesend Telegraph, Saturday 30 May 1914.

Shocking accident at Burham.

Mr. T. Buss, County Coroner, held and inquest at the "Red Bull Inn," Eccles, on Monday afternoon, concerning the death of Horace James Coppard, a 36, of the Rocks, East Malling, who was killed by a full of earth while working for the Associated Portland Cement Company in Great Culand Quarry, Burham, on Friday morning. Mr. H. Walker, H.M. Inspector of Mines and Quarries, attended the enquiry, and Mr. Robert Hoar represented the relatives. Mr. Frederick Hart was chosen foreman of the jury.

Mrs. Coppard, the widow, having giving evidence of identification, Thomas Randall of Aylesford, said he had worked with deceased since Christmas. On Friday morning three of them was shovelling earth which had been dug out of the bank into a truck. The length of the opening in the bank was about 15 feet, and they had excavated some 18 inches. About 7 o'clock witness noticed a little piece of callow breaking away at the top of the chamber, and anticipating that this indicated a fall, he shouted "Look out" to his mates. Witness and a man named Gadd managed to get out of the way, but before deceased could get clear the whole section had fallen upon him and completely buried him. Assistance was immediately obtained, but it took 10 minutes to dig him out. He was quite dead, the body being doubled up, with his head on the feet. A few minutes before the accident the foreman was standing on the top of the earth which gave way. Witness had never known a similar occurrence during the three years he had worked for the company.

The Coroner:- Is any examination made before you commence work in the morning?

No.

Are there any instructions given from day-to-day, or do you proceed with your job without reference to any one?

There is no occasion.

Is there any systematic or periodical inspection?

The foreman comes around to see that everything is alright.

Every day?

Yes.

Mr. Bailey (a juryman). Did the truck into which a shovelling obstruct you and getting away?

It did partly obstruct the deceased. I ran one side of it and the other man round the other side.

Would deceased have got away if he could have run straight out?

He was working in the middle, and I don't think he would have got clear.

Have you a lookout man on the top?

No.

Are there any regulations issued by the company as to how far you are to cut underneath the bank?

I cannot say.

He cut in as far as you like?

Yes.

Do you think that you take more risks on piecework and in doing day work?

No.

Mr. Walker:- You had this face undercut?

Yes.

Have you any legs in it all?

Yes, one at each end.

You had not cut them out?

No.

Leonard Gadd, labourer, Bluebell Hill, corroborated the last witness.

Arthur Huggens, Scotland Cottages, Burham, who has been foreman at the works for 4 years, stated that he was on top of the bank shortly before the accident, and never noticed anything.

The Coroner:- You had not been down below to examine how far the men have cutting?

No.

Is there any regulation as to how far a man may cut in?

No, they use their own discretion.

Can you account for this fall?

No.

Have you ever known a similar accident?

On the other side we had a fall once, and a man was hurt. After that it was always an understood thing that two "legs" were to be left, one on each side.

Do the men work under regulations or according to circumstances?

We never set any regulations for them except as to leave in the "legs" in.

Mr. Bailey:- Have you ever warned men they were working under too great a risk?

No, I have never seen them doing it.

Do you ever have a look out man on the top when they are shovelling underneath?

When they are undermining the men have one of their own number watching on the top that is when they take the legs out.

These three men was shovelling underneath, but there is no man on the top?

No, because it was not ready to come down.

Mr. Hoar:- If it had been ready to fall would you have had a look out man?

Yes, one of the three men would have been on the lock out.

Mr. Edwin Butler, manager of the Burham branch of the A.P.C.C. was also called, and agreed with the other witness's that there were no particular regulations.

Dr. Gregory said the man was quite dead when he arrived at 7:40. The post-mortem examination showed that he had fractures of the neck, back, thigh, and four ribs, and the number of other injuries, and that death must have been instantaneous.

The Coroner:- Do you think that death resulted from the injuries rather than suffocation?

Oh, yes, there was no evidence of suffocation at all.

In summing up the facts to the jury, the Coroner said it seemed impossible to set rules which the men must follow in carrying out this work, and they had to proceed according to their own judgement and as experience dictated, but any suggestion which the jury might make would, he felt sure, be carried out, if possible, by the company.

Mr. Bailey wanted the jury to recommend that there should be a look out man on the top when others are working underneath; but others demurred.

Mr. Butler hoped it would not be thought there was lack of supervision. Forman had visited the work several times each day and he always went round at least once. However, the company would fall in with any reasonable suggestions that might be made.

The Coroner pointed out to the jury, who continued to discuss the question, that Mr. Walker, the Home Office Inspector, was an expert and, having heard the evidence and visited the quarry, any recommendation for the safety of the men which he could make would be communicated to the company.

The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death.

Mr. Butler said he would like to express very sincere sympathy with the relatives of the deceased. The company always greatly regretted these accidents, and they took all possible precautions to secure the safety of their employees.

The Coroner and jury joined in his expression of sympathy.