Chapter M: H. Woodrow, engineman, and Douglas Evans, fireman, injured half

mile east of Peverly, June 19, caused by whistle valve on engine
No. 2605 becoming stuck, they being unable to fix it, and they
were almost deafened by the continuous whistling. Whistle had been
reported on the trip before by the engineman, but was not
repaired.

Henry Winterson, a boiler washer, injured on May 15, at Kendrick,
was using a 4-ft. nozzle to wash out boiler of an engine, when the
collar of nozzle came off, and he was thrown against cab of
engine, injuring his back.

The thought has often occurred to me that if the master mechanic or some one other than the foreman, whose duty it is to inspect and repair, would check up the work slips Form No. 141 and inspection records to see that the repairs called for on them were made, we would not have so many engine failures or accidents of this kind.

Before leaving the subject of engines I want to say a few words about accidents caused by the breaking of lubricator glasses and water gauges; they grow more frequent every year and until somebody invents something to take the place of glass--possibly the celluloid glass now used on automobiles may be available--which will not burst, as you value your eyesight, which becomes more necessary every day as the number, speed of trains, and signals increase, carry the shields, which the company has provided for your, not its, protection, over the glass, not in your seat box as many enginemen do now, and then when the glass breaks, and no one can tell when it will do so, there is little danger of your vision being impaired or lost by your eyes being struck by flying particles of glass.

DEFECTIVE SCAFFOLDS, DERRICKS, ETC.

Accidents caused by use of defective derricks, scaffolds, and the careless handling of derricks are comparatively new and are one of the recent surprises in the business. I venture to say that the companies have paid out during the last 18 months in the investigation and settlement of accidents caused by defective scaffolds enough money, not only to furnish the most approved scaffold now known, but to nickel plate them as well. The following cases will show what is going on in this way:

R. B. Babcock, bridgeman, injured at Ferncliff, a mile and a half
north of Whiteston, Jan. 14, while standing near derrick mast,
which was being raised and put in position on abutment; the mast
suddenly slipped, and knocked this man off the abutment to
concrete foundation 34 feet below, breaking his leg in two places
and his arm, and bruising his hip.

H. R. Roberts, bridgeman, killed near Red Creek, March 4, at 11
a.m.; derrick car in rounding curve an attempt was made to swing
the boom of derrick to outside of curve, but it suddenly swung
over to the other side of car and tipped the derrick car over;
Roberts was standing on front end of car and jumped, falling back
onto the track, and the derrick tender, which did not leave the
track, ran over him. A 2x4 cleat, nailed on side of mast to hold
sling-lines in place came off, allowing ropes, which control
swinging of boom, to slacken so that movement of boom could not be
controlled.

B. H. Jackson, seriously injured at Leicester, Dec. 30; caused by
the plank on which he was standing, used for scaffolding, slipping
out of the hooks, on account of its being covered with ice and
snow, and allowing him to fall 15 ft. to the ground.

Within the last few years injuries caused by defective jacks and drop cables, which, when I commenced to investigate accidents, were unknown, have become very frequent. I mention the following to show what they are. All of them would have been prevented by proper inspection--not by inspections made to find things O.K., but by inspections made to find defects; and if not made for that purpose they had better be discontinued.