Ralston v. Baldwin Locomotive Works
Ralston v. Baldwin Locomotive Works
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The plaintiff, a man about twenty-one years of age, was employed by the defendant corporation as the operator of a machine for sawing steel and iron; on February 7, 1910, in the proper performance of his duties, he was putting oil in three cups set in a casting running along the top of this machine about 3% feet from the floor; he took a plug out of one of the cups, and in some manner it fell into a space back of the machine; this space was about 2 feet wide and was in common use, particularly when the machine was being cleaned or oiled; while the machine continued to run the plaintiff went behind it, picked up the plug and attempted to put it in place; in so doing he stood about 1 or 1 y2 feet away from the point on the top of the machine which he was endeavoring to reach; an unguarded shaft was located in the rear of the machine extending its full length, about two feet from the floor and 6 inches within its outside limits; this shaft was about 2*4 inches in diameter and had a collar on it 6 inches in diameter fastened with a screw which extended slightly above its surface; as the plaintiff turned to place the plug his overalls were caught in the revolving shaft and he was injured by contact therewith. Judgment was entered on a verdict for the plaintiff, and the defendant has appealed from a refusal of judgment non obstante veredicto in its favor.
The appellant states the questions involved to be: “In an action to recover damages for personal injuries by an employee against his employer based on an al
The assignments of error are overruled and the judgment is affirmed.
Reference
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- Negligence — Master and servant — Guarding machinery — Act of May 2, 1906, P. L. 362 — Contributory negligence — Case for jury. Plaintiff, a man about twenty-one years of age, employed by defendant as an operator of a machine for sawing steel and iron, was putting oil in three cups set in a easting on the top of his machine, at a point about three and one-half feet from the floor, when one of the plugs removed from a cup fell into a space back of the machine about two feet wide, which was in common use, particularly while the machine was being cleaned or oiled. Plaintiff went behind the machine while it was still running and picked up the plug, and while standing back of the machine about one or one and one-half feet from the point he was endeavoring to reach attempted to put the plug in place; while so doing his overalls were caught by an unguarded shaft located in the rear of the machine about two feet from the floor and six inches within its outside limits, and which had a collar with an exposed set screw upon it. In an action to recover damages for injuries so sustained, based upon a violation of the Act of May 2, 1905, P. L. 352, requiring the safeguarding machinery: Held, that the questions of defendant’s negligence and plaintiff’s contributory negligence were for the jury, and a verdict and judgment in favor of the plaintiff should be sustained.