June 12. 1911. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1313 A REVIEW ON MINING LEGISLATION. By A. DURY MITTON, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E. A paper read before the Manchester Geological and Mining Society. In considering the above subject, it may be found interesting to study briefly a few facts in regard to the past, present and future of coal mining in Great Britain in connection with the loss of life by those engaged therein. Mining laws have done much in the past and present to lessen accidents, and a Royal Commission pre- sented an exhaustive report on the subject in 1909, the outcome of which was the new Coal Mines Act of 1911. It is a question, therefore, whether it is advisable for legislation to be carried any further, although the writer feels that there is some justification, when the facts arc considered, in the contention that deaths by explosions have been on the increase in recent years. Taking the 20 years from 1872 to 1892, 3,295 deaths occurred from explosions, with an increased production of coal between these years of 54,786,871 tons. In the succeeding 20 years (1892 to 1912), there were 1,822 deaths, with a total increase of coal produced between these years of 78,629,467 tons, showing a decrease of mortality of 1,473. It is also interesting to compare the deaths from explosions between the passing of the Coal Mines Regulation Acts of 1872, 1887, and 1911. There occurred between 1872 and 1887 no less than 2,545 deaths, with an increased output of coal produced between these years of 30,518,482 tons : whereas between 1887 and 1911 there were 2,484 deaths with an increased output of coal between these years of 101,955,709 tons, showing a decrease of 61 deaths with more than three times the increase of coal produced in a year. This is a great improvement, although still a lamentable loss in lives. If the present position be examined, it will be found, unfortunately, that this progress has been retarded. Taking the six years 1907 to 1913 inclusive, there have been no fewer than 1,286 deaths from explosions; and when one takes into consideration the large developments that are taking place in many coalfields, both in regard to deeper mining and increased output, all those interested in mining should consider whether all that is necessary has been done to meet these developments and to ensure the safety of the lives of those whose calling is beneath the surface. In this connection it will be interesting to examine the statistics relating to deaths from explosions in the various coalfields during the last 63 years, which are shown in the following table in three periods, with the coal produced in each coalfield :— Deaths from Explosions from 1851 to 1913, with Coal Production in the Various Coalfieds. Name of coalfield. Deaths from 1851 to 1875. Output in 1875, in million tons. Deaths from 1875 to 1892. Output in 1892, in million tons. I i Deaths from 1892 to 1913. Output in 1912, in million tons. Total deaths from 1851 to 1913. Glamorgan 692 12 421 224 1,216 33| 2,329 Lancashire 771 18 628 221 ! 427 224 1,826 Monmouthshire 221 41 601 71 18 134 840 Durham 129 254 364 234 230 374 723 Yorkshire 741 16" 329 23 290 4 384 i 1360 Lanarkshire 10 308 151 164 ; 312 Staffordshire 168 12 189 14 4 131 ' 361 Cumberland — 1 34 14 ; 141 2 175 Cheshire ’.. 92 3 —. i. 92 Derbyshire 20 74 45 11 7 161 72 Shropshire — Id 62 1 — 62 Somerset 11 4 20 5 21 I4 52 Stirlingshire — 1 17 14 15 1 24 32 Denbigh 23 1| — 2 — 24 23 W arwickshire — d 23 14 — 4.i 23 Carmarthenshire ... 3 6 24 6 Northumberland 118 6| 4 91 134 122 Renfrewshire 61 10 — yu — X 61 . Worcestershire 11 Id — 4 — _i 11 Flint 10 3. — d — 10 No deaths have been recorded in any other coalfields in Great Britain from explosions. It is interesting to note that some of these coalfields, that are immune from explosions, have fairly large outputs, such as Nottingham and Fife, the yearly outputs of which have risen from 3 to 11 and 14 to 8| million tons respectively. To those who are acquainted with the various coalfields, it could not be argued that Durham is, by any means, entirely exempt from gassy or dusty mines; and the second largest producing coalfield at the present time, has only about a third the mortality, a fact which no doubt may call for some interesting discussion. One other matter of passing interest is that the coal- fields of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire are so com- paratively free from deaths with such large outputs of coal; and it is a point of interest to ascertain whether the cause can be attributed to the higher percentage of moisture in those coal seams, and the shaly nature of the roofs, which renders the dust more non-combustible than that in other coalfields. If so, this is testimony in favour of stone dusting as an important factor in miti- gating in the future the extent and force of explosions. It is, however, to the Coal Mines Act of 1911, and statutory rules, that guidance for good management must be obtained so as to obviate deaths from explosions —if not in their entirety, at any rate, to a minimum. The writer, before proceeding to examine the Act and rules would ask : Would it not have been wiser if the Act of 1911 had been more definite, and had not left so much to the discretion of the management? It is a point that is open to criticism. Much useful work had been done by the new Act and statutory rules, and subjects of rescue, and numerous matters have received careful consideration; but there are technical and practical points of vital importance that are worthy of fuller consideration, and should, in the interest of greater safety, have found a place on the Statute book, the necessity for which can be clearly shown by the reports of recent explosions previous to 1911. The writer will take, as instances, some concrete cases to illustrate his meaning on the point. With regard to the standard of ventilation to be kept in a mine, the evidence before the Royal Commission clearly proved that it was most difficult under the words of the Coal Mines Regulation Act of 1887 to prove a case that is, “ that an adequate amount of ventilation shall constantly be produced to render harmless all noxious gases, etc.” Tie 1911 Act prescribes, in the face of this evidence, the same wording, with only the addition that the intake air way up to 100 yds. of the first working face shall be kept free from inflammable gas, a prohibition against an occurrence most unlikely ever to take place. Why should not the Act have pro- vided that the manager at a colliery shall stipulate in writing to the inspector the quantity of air per cubic foot per minute which, in his opinion, is necessary for each man, boy, and horse that is at work in the mine under his charge, and constantly have the same quantity produced daily, so as to dilute and render barm less all noxious gases at the entrance to each district, and to have the same measured and recorded. Another important matter, not provided for in the Act, is the coursing of the air for district ventilation. Coursing should be limited in extent, for it has been found at enquiries in connection with recent large explo- sions that the air had been coursed round two or three districts, and at the end had become so vitiated and impure that doubt would exist as to whether it was fit for ventilation. Another important matter, not provided for, is the ventilation of roads not in use. The new Act of 1911 states that “ An abandoned road or level not used in connexion with the working of the mine shall, if properly fenced off, not be deemed to be a road or level within the meaning of this section,” [29 (a)], and hence need not be ventilated. The invariable custom at collieries is to drive ahead narrow roads for prospecting, and both at Hulton and at Whitehaven this was being done, and it was supposed that gas may have accumulated in these narrow roads. Statutory rules have provided in future for such roads being fully ventilated when working; but if such a road is stopped even for a short period, and fenced off, it becomes a road not in use, and there is no legal provision for it to be ventilated. It is an everyday occurrence for blowers of gas to come off in such narrow roads, so that they are liable to be left full of gas for some length of time, and this gas may be distributed along the course of the workings to where firing of shots may be carried out. Would it not have been wiser if the new Act or statutory rules had provided that where a road is not in use at any time, as well as being fenced off, it must be kept either entirely free from accumula- tion of gas, or so built off that no gas can pass out in dangerous quantities? Another important matter in the Act of 1911 is with regard to the haulage of coal in the return airways. The Act prohibits any hauling of coal in a new mine opened after the passing of the Act in July, 1911, if the return air way is found by an inspector to contain more than one-half per cent, of inflammable gas. Evidently the Home Office experts feel that there is a danger, or they would not have suggested such a restriction in the Act; but supposing that an inspector does make his six tests over 12 weeks (the time prescribed by law), and finds less than one-half per cent., then the danger of hauling in a return air way, by having men and lamps in it, the friction of ropes on rollers, and consequent sparking, becomes perfectly safe to carry out; but all who have knowledge of practical mining know that sudden blowers take place in a mine, places are holed into near faults, and gas is given off in variable quantities, so that a return air way may at any minute be in such a state that it is totally unfit for haulage. The conclusions arrived at in the Senghenydd enquiry were that heavy falls were sup- posed to have taken place, and at the Hulton Colliery explosion in 1910, when 344 persons were killed, similar suppositions were suggested. The return air roads were largely used at Hulton for hauling coal, and this may have been responsible for the explosion. Yet in the face of this evidence, collieries are permitted to haul coal in returns, which is bad mining. In the interest of safety,, all haulage in return air roads should be prohibited for coal getting, and only special allowance granted for repairing the same. Another important matter in the Act of 1911 is in regard to the “ stoppings and air crossings.” The Act' states that :— . “ Every new mine or seam opened after the date of the Act, stoppings between the main intake air ways and main return air ways, and all crossings shall, so far as practicable, be so constructed as not to be liable to be destroyed in the event of an explosion, and general regulations may be made under the Act providing for the manner in which such stoppings and air crossings are to be constructed [Section 43 (3)].” The statutory rules drawn 'up by the Home Office were submitted to arbitration before Lord Mersey, and the method of construction of stoppings was prescribed, but nothing was mentioned in regard to air crossings. In opposition to the arguments set up by the Home Office, the representatives of the coal owners of Great Britain stated that the opinion held by mining experts was “ that it is distinctly prejudicial to safety that air crossings and stoppings should be so constructed as not to be liable to be destroyed.” Lord Mersey, however, gave his opinion that the Home Office was right, which is somewhat surprising in the face of such weighty evidence in a technical matter of great importance. The truth of the coal owners’ view can be clearly proved by the evidence of such explosions as Seaham (1880), Elemore (1886), Altofts (1886), and Wingate (1906), which show how the force of an explosion can be carried by the current of air in-bye towards the working face, and thereby increase in intensity and volume; but when freedom is obtained by the stoppings and air crossings being blown out, less damage resulted. If the main intake air way is so tightened up as prescribed, and another explosion should occur in a new mine under these conditions, the liability of increased damage in mines, and of death by force to all those in the working faces will be greater. If the Act and statutory rules had stated that all stoppings and crossings shall, as far as practicable, be made thoroughly airtight by a well- plastered 9 in. wall, and left open for inspection, it would have been a rule that would have been useful, as it would have secured ample ventilation of fresh air, and provided vent in case of an explosion. Another important matter that has not been provided for in the 1911 Act is that all doors between main intake air ways and return air ways shall be doubled, and the door nearest the intake air way locked, keys being issued under written authority. It is a fact that laxity takes place in regard to this matter, which is so important, and upon which so much depends, as the management in some cases trust whole districts to one door, and that sometimes composed of only canvas cloth. With regard to the question of locking, there may be some difference of opinion, but where the system of haulage is rapid (from 10 to 15 miles an. hour), experi- ments have proved that currents of air can be for some distance reversed, and this goes to strengthen the argu- ment in favour of the system of locking doors. Another important matter is the examination of return air roads in a mine, upon which so much depends. The 1911 Act and statutory rules have been most careful in regard to the examination of intake roads and w’orking faces, but there is nothing whatever to compel a return air road to be examined, except by a fireman once a quarter. The statutory rules state that an under- manager “ shall from time to time carefully examine all travellable parts of the mine, whether frequented by workmen or not.” It is doubtful whether a return air way comes under this category, but if it does, what does from “ time to time ” mean, in law? Nothing at all! A Coal Mines Regulation Act should be so drawn as to overcome laxity in the management of collieries. When the coal trade is not in a prosperous state there is no greater temptation to err on the side of laxity in this respect, and to neglect the return air ways, upon which depends the welfare of a colliery, and the safety of the workmen. These may become so low, and closed by falls, as to be untravellable between such times as the statutory rules provide for their examination. In the interest of safety it would have been wiser if the law had stated that every return air road in a mine shall be carefully examined at least once a week by a responsible official, who shall report in writing as to its exact con- dition from end to end, the average height and width, and what falls of stone, if any, have taken place; and that the average height and width of all main return air ways shall be measured at intervals of 100 yds. apart, from the junctions of each district to the shaft. There is no reason also why standard sizes of return air roads should not be compulsory, so as to meet large areas with many districts. Had this regulation been inserted,, which no well-managed colliery need fear, an infinitely greater maximum of safety would have been obtained. Another important matter is in regard to the safety- lamps used at collieries. The 1911 Act has made an advance in the right direction by making it compulsory that all lamps shall pass an examination before being used, but there are points that still require to be remedied. In the first instance electric lamps are- being permitted to be used in mines, and many owners are using them entirely throughout for their workmen, except for the examination of the mine for gas by the firemen. The following illustration may be cited to denote the danger which this policy, if continued, may create. Electric lamps were recently installed at a large colliery in the north for the use of the miners; but