SAFETY FOR SHUNTERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 301, 12 March 1928, Page 9

SAFETY FOR SHUNTERS

COVERED HOLDING RUNGS DEPARTMENTAL ATTITUDE Press Association. DUNEDIN, To-day. Asked if he had anything to say about the shunting accident at Middleton the chairman of the Railway Board stated “very little.” The accident was one of those cases of pure misadventure which occasionally cropped up and was extremely regrettable. TIE thought no great exception could be taken to the verdict of the coroner, particularly to the first part of it, that is that loaders of waggons should not sheet tarpaulins over the holding rungs. It was no doubt difficut to arrange, but he hoped they would be able to re-design the arrangement with the object of making the covering of the rung impossible. As to the Middleton yard, he said, it was designed for gravity shunting and no exception could be taken to its working. Once it was in full working order he was quite sure the staff would prefer it to any flat shunting. It was always necessary to exercise very great care in shunting operations whether in a flat or a hump yard and he could safely say that Middleton yard would be found to be as safe as any. Certain small adjustments would no doubt be found necessary to give the best results, and these would be made as required. The board and its administrative officers were anxious and gave their best endeavours to make the conditions under which the staff worked as safe and easy as possible.