Portland Gold Mining Co. v. O'Hara

45 Colo. 416
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedApril 15, 1909
DocketNo. 5430
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 45 Colo. 416 (Portland Gold Mining Co. v. O'Hara) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Portland Gold Mining Co. v. O'Hara, 45 Colo. 416 (Colo. 1909).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Hill

delivered the opinion of the court:

Appellee, P. L. O’Hara, brought this action to recover damages for personal injuries sustained in September, 1902, while in the employ of the appellant. He was working in the screen room of its ore mill at Colorado City. The injury is alleged to have resulted through the negligence of the- appellant in not enclosing the end of a revolving shaft and’setscrew with a screen covering, and in leaving'them 'exposed. The screen where the’ accident occurred was a revolving cylinder about nine feet in length, three feet in diameter, on a shaft about twelve feet long, upon the end of which shaft was the set-screw which caused the accident. The set-screw was near [418]*418a wooden floor, possibly nine inches from the floor, and could have been covered, but at the time of the accident, was without protection; at which time there were from eight to twelve screens in motion in the room, and there was testimony that each emitted quantities of dust, which would naturally come from such works. This dust was constantly settling, was heavier near the floor, where it made objects not easily discernible.

There was some dispute as to what the duties of the appellee were, and whether or not they were such as to warrant the assumption he must be held to have known and assumed the danger of the risk; also, as to whether the danger was open or obvious,also, as to the condition of the light in the room.

For about eighteen days, appellee had been employed by the company in its mill in the bedding floor below, during which time, it appears, he went once each day to this screen room, and brushed off these screens, eight to twelve in number. On the eighteenth or nineteenth day after his employment, by the foreman’s instructions, he took charge of these screens, and was on his second eight-hour shift when he received his injury. It appears his duties were to watch the machinery, make examination of the spouts, to see they did not clog up, and when they did, to immediately perform such labors as would relieve their condition, and prevent accumulation of ore in the screens, and the clogging of the elevators. There is evidence tending to show the appellee did not desire the employment in the screen room, preferring to remain below. The evidence is conflicting as to what instructions he received, if any, at the time he assumed this employment.

The evidence shows that, while appellee was showing a Mr. Fox (who was to succeed him) [419]*419around, one of the screens became clogged, and appellee, in attempting to go to it quickly, went over or near the shaft and set-screw on which his pants were caught, thereby receiving the injury complained of. The evidence was conflicting as to whether or not he could have gone around another way, and have accomplished the act intended within the time required, and whether or not he went the ordinary and usual route. The accident occurred between 8 and 9 o ’clock at night.

The first assignment of error discussed by counsel relates to the sufficiency of the evidence to warrant the court in the submission, of the cause to the jury, claiming it was guilty of no breach of duty to the appellee; that the presence of the -uncovered setscrew and shaft constituted an open, obvious and incidental danger, which appellee assumed by virtue of his employment, and could,'by the exercise of ordinary care, have prevented the accident. It is a general rule, with certain exceptions, as stated by Mr. Justice Helm in the case of Wells v. Coe, 9 Colo., at page 160:

“In the purchase of safe machinery and appliances for use in his business, the master is required to exercise ordinary care and diligence; such care and diligence having reference to the hazards of the employment, and being proportioned to the dangers of the service. If, through the want of ordinary care in this respect, unsafe or defective machinery is procured, and the servant, without fault on his part, is thereby injured, the master is liable.”

In the same case, the learned judge also states:

‘ ‘ The master is likewise charged with the further duty of maintaining, in suitable condition, the machinery and appliances used in his business. In this regard he is also required to exercise ordinary care and diligence, and is liable for injuries, resulting [420]*420from his ordinary negligence, to the servant, without fault on the latter’s part. The question as to what shall constitute such ordinary care having reference likewise to the danger which the service naturally imposes upon the employee.”

These same principles of the law have been approved by this court in numerous cases: Sampson M. & M. Co. v. Schaad, 15 Colo. 197; Colo. Midland Ry. Co. v. O’Brien, 16 Colo. 219; Deane v. Light and Power Co., 5 C. A. 521; Moffatt v. Tenney, 17 Colo. 189; Grant v. Varney, 21 Colo. 329; D. & R. G. R. R. Co. v. Burchard, 35 Colo. 539.

The evidence in this case is conflicting, and we think, under proper instructions, was sufficient to go to the jury, for their determination.—Moffatt v. Tenney, supra.

The second assignment' urged by appellant in the evidence shows, had the appellee gone around another way, a distance of fifteen to twenty-feet further, it would have been a safe way and he could thereby have avoided the possibility of the accident. The appellee testified that he did not know the setscrew was there until after the accident happened. Also, he testified, as did Mr. Fox (the employee who succeeded him in this work) that the route he did go was the shortest, most direct and natural route and was the ordinary way in going to this particular screen, and the way he (Fox) went himself.

In the case of Colorado Central Ry. Co. v. Ogden, 3 Colo. 499, it was held, if a person of ordinary prudence would not have believed the defect dangerous, he may disregard it without losing his right to complain, if he suffers from the defect while pursuing the ordinary course. We do not think the fact that there was evidence tending to show that he could have gone around some fifteen to twenty feet farther in order to reach the place [421]*421required, to relieve a condition there calling for quick action, was negligence upon his part in not doing so, when there is no evidence to the fact that he had been informed by any one that the set-screw was there, or evidence tending to show that he actually knew it was there, other than the contention of certain witnesses' that, by looking, he could have seen it, or from the fact that it was there and readily discernible, and he would, by the use of ordinary care, have been compelled of necessity to have seen it. From the circumstances shown, the fact that he did not go around was not sufficient to withdraw the case from the consideration of the jury.—Gilbert v. Ry. Co., 128 Fed. 529.

The probabilities are, when we consider the general conditions at this time existing between the employer and the employee, that the employee usually does, and it is customary that he perform the. duties of his employment in the usual and ordinary way intended by his employer, and, in.

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45 Colo. 416, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/portland-gold-mining-co-v-ohara-colo-1909.