APPRENTICE ELECTROCUTED

Westinghouse Works Accident.

Evidence at the Inquest

Mr. J. F. Price, the county coroner, held an
inquest at Old Trafford, to-day, touching the
death of an electrical apprentice named Robert
H. Gardner (23), of Helensburgh, Scotland, but
who lived in Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, who
was electrocuted by gripping two live terminals
at the Westinghouse Works, Trafford Park, on
Monday morning last.

W. D. Wivell, an electrician employed in the
testing room at the works, said the deceased
was working at a testing table, to which was
affixed apparatus for the generating of elec-
tricity. He did not know what the deceased
was doing at the testing table. Witness was
working at the next table, with his back to
Gardner, and when he happened to turn round
he saw the deceased's legs in the air behind the
table at which he was working. Witness
moved forward, and saw that deceased was in
a half-reclining position, his back on the floor,
and his hands gripping the two live terminals
of the table, which were at an electrical pres-
sure of 440 volts.  He endevoured to pull him
off the terminals, but was unable to do so.
After witness had summoned assistance he
managed to pull the deceased away with the
help of another electrician.  Gardner was then
unconscious, and apparently dead.  Artificial
respiration was resorted to and medical assist-
ance summoned, but without avail.

The witness further stated that Gardner had
no occasion whatever to touch the terminals,
and the latter would be perfectly aware what
the consequences were if he did touch them.

Asked by the Coroner if he could suggest any
reason for his doing so, witness said he might
have slipped on the iron bed-plate and clutched
at the terminals, unthinkingly, to save himself
from falling.

C. E. Ward, electrical engineer, who had
charge of the testing table at which deceased
was working, gave corroborative evidence.

Thomas Smith, who was in charge of the
testing department at the works, said that the
deceased's duty was to see that everything was
in order at his table, and see that the bearings
and cables did not run hot, and his suggestion
as to why deceased gripped the terminals was
that he was feeling at the cables which led up
to the terminals, and he, unthinkingly, lifted
his hands too far up, and consequently they
came into contact with the terminals.  He did
not think that the idea of the deceased slipping
was feasible.

Questioned as to whether he did not think
that the terminals should have insulated caps,
he said that, in his opinion, there was no more
danger than at an ordinary switchboard.

A verdict of accidental death was returned.