686

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

October 1, 1915.

made after the dashpot had been filled with oil. It was
raised at full speed, and at practically the same point in
the shaft the apparatus again came into action and
stopped the drum in a fraction of a revolution. The
accident emphasises the absolute necessity of keeping
overwind preventing apparatus in perfect order, and
also the importance of winding enginemen realising that
such apparatus is not fool-proof and is only intended to
supplement, and not to be a substitute for, the engine-
man’s control of the engine. It was an exceedingly
rash and* risky thing to attempt to raise a hoppit con-
taining a man or men at a speed of anything like 50 ft.
per second.

At Burley Colliery, North Staffordshire, on
December 29, an accident of a somewhat unusual
nature took place. The Sladderhill shaft was aban-
doned in September. It was decided to fill up the
shaft, and for this purpose a platform of wood was laid
over the shaft mouth and nailed to the upper square
frame. At one side of it there was fixed an inclined
shoot, down which debris was tipped from pit tubs. Two
men were engaged in the work, and it was estimated
that when the accident took place the shaft had been
filled to within 80 yds. of the surface. The shaft
appears to have collapsed, and the surface caved in over
an area of about 18 yds. in diameter and to a depth of
about 25 ft., taking one of the men with it. The shaft
was a very old one, and its collapsing revealed that, at
least to the depth of the subsidence, it had passed
through artificial ground which had apparently been
burned at some time. The shooting in of the debris
had probably knocked out some of the bearers, and
thereby disturbed the walling, leading to.its collapse.

Miscellaneous Underground Accidents. — Forty-four ;
fatal and 259 non-fatal accidents were reported during
the year, resulting in 46 deaths and injuries to 266
persons. The corresponding figures for the preceding
year were 31 fatal and 301 non-fatal accidents, result-
ing in 31 deaths and injuries to 307 persons.

By explosives, two persons were killed and 19 injured.
A considerable number of these accidents should not
have occurred, but might have been prevented by the
exercise of ordinary care and caution.

Thirty-eight fatal and 177 non-fatal underground
haulage accidents were reported during the year, result-
ing in 38 deaths and injuries to 180 persons. The
corresponding figures for the preceding year were 16
fatal and 207 non-fatal accidents, resulting in 16 deaths
and injuries to 207 persons. A number of the accidents
should not have happened. At the same time, Mr.
Johnstone was unable to offer any reasonable explana-
tion of the great increase, unless it be that a much
larger proportion of the haulage hands consists of young
lads. In the preceding year 16 persons were killed by
haulage accidents, and of these, three, or 19 per cent.,
were under 16 years of age, two being aged 15, and the
third 14 years. Of the 38 accidents reported this year,
17, or nearly 45 per cent., occurred to lads of 16 years
or under, six of them being aged 16, six 15, and five 14.
The outbreak of war did not appear to have had any
direct bearing upon the number of fatalities, as of the 38
fatal accidents, 22, or almost exactly seven-twelfths,,
occurred prior to July 31, and 16, or almost exactly five-
twelfths, occurred after this date. It may, however,
have had considerable influence upon the number of
young persons killed, as of the 22 fatal accidents which
occurred prior to July 31, only seven happened to
persons of 16 years of age or under, whereas of the 16
fatalities which occurred after that date, no less than
10 happened to young persons. Since the outbreak of
war there has probably been a considerable increase in
the number of young persons employed in haulage work,
and this may have been due to the scarcity of adult
labour. For many purposes connected with haulage, lads
of 16 or under may be as competent as, or even more
competent than, older men, but it appears to the
inspector to be obvious that where they are employed
greater care and more careful supervision should be
exercised over them by the mine officials.

Two non-fatal accidents by electricity were reported
during the year, causing injuries to two persons. The
corresponding figures for the preceding year were two
fatal and four non-fatal accidents, resulting in two .
deaths and injuries to four persons. One of the non-
fatal accidents occurred to an electrician who was
changing a fuse. Finding that the fuse he had did not
fit, in order to allow the motor to work, he attempted
to couple up a short length of insulated wire to act
temporarily. While doing so, he had apparently
allowed one end of the wire to touch a live part after
the other end had been fixed. The result was a short
circuit, which caused a flash, which burned his face
slightly. He was subsequently fined by the manager
for contravention of General Regulation 131 (g). The
second accident was very similar. An assistant elec-
trician was making an examination for the purpose of
discovering the cause of the stoppage of an electrical
coal cutter. When pulling out a fuse, a piece of wire
protruding from the bridge made a contact and caused
some sparking, which slightly burned his right hand and
forearm. Had the current been cut ofi as provided for
by General Regulation 128 (b) the accident would have
been prevented.

One fatal and 13 non-fatal accidents by machinery
were reported during the year, resulting in one
death and injuries to 13 persons. The corresponding
figures for the preceding year were 11 non-fatal
accidents, resulting in injuries to as many persons.

Accidents on the Surface.—Four fatal and 86 non-
fatal accidents were reported, resulting in four deaths
and injuries to 87 persons. The corresponding figures
for the preceding year were 18 fatal and 98 non-fatal
accidents, resulting in 18 deaths and injuries to 99
persons.

One of the non-fatal accidents occurred to a power
house attendant who had been replacing a fuse which
had blown. A liquid starting switch controlling a

16-horse power motor (500 volte) had not been taken out.
In replacing the fuse, the attendant brought the contacts
of the switch, which was of the ordinary double pole
tandem quick-break type, together slowly, and then had
opened it. The result was an arc, which burned him
superficially on the hand and wrist. In a second case,
two electricians had been changing the armature in a
motor, and in coupling up again, one of them in error
failed to connect one of the supply cables on to the field,
with the result that the no-volt release got the full load
without any resistance. The no-volt release coil insula-
tion was completely destroyed inside the starting switch
box. Without knowing what had occurred, the assistant
electrician put in the switch, and an explosion immedi-
ately resulted, blowing ofi the switch box cover, which
struck him on the stomach and slightly injured him.
A third accident occurred in the same power house and
to the same attendant as was injured by the first
accident. He was actuating a change-over switch on
a lighting panel, and appears to have manipulated it
improperly. The result was an arc which slightly
burned him on the forehead and eyes. The switch was
of an old type, but had been in use for some 14 years.

Dangerous Occurrences.—During the year 177 danger-
ous occurrences were reported under the Coal Mines
Act, 1911, and Statutory Order No. 934. Of these, one
was a case of firedamp being ignited by a naked light;
two were aboveground fires; 136 were underground
fires; two were breakages of winding machinery; one
was the fracture of a pulley shaft; 17 were breakages or
failures of winding ropes or their connections; two were
collisions of cages in the shaft, in one of which the bridle
chains were broken and the cage fell to the bottom; one
was the jamming of a descending cage in the shaft owing
to a slipper becoming fast in the guide rod; three were
broken guide rods; five were overwindings; three were
sparks or flashes from a high explosive; three were
inrushes of water, one of 'them from old workings and
the other two from the roof measures; and one was the
imprisoning of a miner underground for 12 hours owing
to a fall of side due to a “ goth.” Of the two above-
ground fires, one was due to sparks from the brake-curb
of a winding engine igniting the contents of an oil bath
which fed the pressure cistern of the main bearings.
The other was apparently due to the fusing of an electric
lighting wire which passed under the floor, and
resulted in the total destruction of the headgear. Of the
136 underground fires, 126 were due to spontaneous
combustion. One occurred in South Derbyshire, five in
Leicestershire, one in Somersetshire, four in North
Staffordshire, 103 in South Staffordshire; 10 in Warwick-
shire, and two in Worcestershire; 105 of them took place
in the Thick coal. The 10 underground fires due to
causes other than spontaneous combustion were very
slight, although eight of them occurred in fiery anti
dusty mines. Six were due to electricity. One was
the ignition of the insulation through a “ short ” in a
trailing cable; a second was due to the burning out of
the insulation on the rotor and stator of a 10-horse power
motor, owing to its having been started under excessive
load; the third was the ignition of some waste by
sparking from the motor brushes; a fourth was the
ignition of the insulation of the detonator leads when two
shots of Kentite were being fired electrically; a fifth was
the ignition of oil and dust in a commutator owing to
a flash from the brushes due to a momentary overload;
and a sixth was the ignition of the insulation on the leads-
connected with the trip coil of a 150-horse power haulage
motor, caused by a “ short ” due to the wearing a wav
of the insulation by attrition.

Of the breakages or failures of winding ropes, six
were due to the breakage of the ropes in shafts, three of
these breakages having occurred inside the capping. One
was the fracture of the “ D ” link which coupled the
cage to the rope. One was the breaking and “ hedge-
hogging ” or bunching up of the outer wires of a lock
coil rope which had caught on the lid of the upcast.
One was the breaking of wires inside the capping in five
of the six strands of the rope. One was the breaking
of a balance rope below the cage. One was the breaking
of a King’s detaching hook. One was due to the strip-
ping of the rings ofi the cap of a descending rope through
their having been caught by the cover of an upcast
shaft; the cage was thereby liberated and fell to the
bottom. One was due to the cap coming ofi a new rope
and permitting the cage to fall. Four were due to
broken ropes, coupling links, or draw bars on steep
underground inclines on which men were raised or
lowered by machinery. One of the overwindings was
due. to a defect in the overwind preventer and to its
having been imperfectly adjusted. After the accident
it was discovered that the piston connected with the
brake gear was without piston rings, and the apparatus
was so imperfectly adjusted that after the steam valve
was tripped, the engine made about six revolutions
before it was stopped. The engineman admitted that
he had been running the engine faster than usual as the
pit had been slack, and a message bad been sent up to
him to push on.

.The circumstances connected with the sparks from a
high explosive were as follow :—A fireman had charged
a shot-hole in a seam of coal in a North Staffordshire
mine with two 4 oz. packets of superite, stemmed the
hole to the mouth with pugged marl, and fired it elec-
trically. He and the two miners had retired down the
jig for a distance of about 30 yds., and were in a position
to see any sparks which might drop from the hole. The
shot did its work well, but they saw what appeared to
be a long spark drop from the hole. Three hours later,
in the same place, a similar shot was fired by the same
fireman. It was not so successful, although it shook
the coal sufficiently to make it easy to get. On return-
ing to the place after firing the shot they found “ some
stuff lying on the floor frizzling like a firework about
two or three inches high.” They concluded that it
must.be part of the explosive, but could not be certain
of this as it was mixed with clay and coal. The stem-

ming in this case also was entirely of clay obtained from
the surface. In the same pit 19 days later, the night
overman reported that when a shot consisting of 10 oz.
of superite was fired, he saw a reflected light from the
explosive which was sufficient to illuminate the stone
as it fell from the shot.

Prosecutions.

Proceedings against mine owners, agents, and
managers were instituted for 58 contraventions of the
Coal Mines Act and General Regulations. Convictions
were obtained on 31 charges, 19 were dismissed on pay-
ment of costs, seven were dismissed, and one was dealt
with under the Probation Offenders Act. One hundred
and fifty-nine prosecutions by owners against employees
for contraventions of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, and the
General Regulations, and of the Cruelty to Animals Acte,
were reported. In 146 of these, convictions were
obtained.

Coal Mines Act, 1911, and General Regulations.

With very few exceptions, the provisions of the Act
and Regulations are being complied with throughout the
Division. In one or two cases, structural alterations
of a very extensive nature have been required. Delay
was also experienced with regard to the provision of
clear spaces between sets of tubs or between the tubs
and the side of the road nearest to them, required by
section 43 (3), owing to the difficulty in carrying out the
work with the limited number of men permitted under
certain conditions by the Explosives in Coal Mines Order
but this work has now been practically completed.

Ventilation.

During the year 282 samples of mine air were taken for
analysis, the results of which indicate that the standard
of ventilation is being fairly well maintained.

Care and Treatment of Animals.

The regulations in schedule 3 as to the care and
treatment of animals continue to be fairly well
observed. Cases of wilful cruelty have been rare, and
the most frequent causes of complaint continue to be
ill-kept and badly fitting harness, and, in some cases,
the working of the ponies for too many hours per day.
Several cases have been discovered in which humane
destroyers of the pistol type had been provided for use
in fiery mines. Wherever these have been discovered
in such mines they have been condemned as not being
in accordance with the provisions of the Act, and the
dangers arising from their use have been pointed out
to the officials. The following figures have been com-
piled from information given in the annual returns :—
Number of horses used, 6,064. Number died (exclu-
sive of those required to be destroyed) : From injury
by accident, 65; from disease, 39 (including seven from
old age or being worn out); total, 104. Number
required to be destroyed : In consequence of injury, 119;
in consequence of disease, 107 (including 65 from old
age or being worn out); total, 226. Number of cases of
injury or ill-treatment reported to manager (exclusive
of cases alreadv included) : Injury, 1,155; ill-treatment,
35; total, 1,190.

Stone Dusting.

The application of stone or flue dust in dry and dusty
mines continues to make progress, and in some mines
has been carried on very extensively. The work, how-
ever, in many cases, is not carried on so regularly and
systematically as it might be. But mine owners and
managers appear to realise that it is a very necessary
and useful precaution.

Signalling.

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in enforc-
ing the new. regulations as to signalling in shafts, more
especially with regard to the introduction of visual indi-
cators. A number of the types which were first placed
on the market clearly did not comply with the regu-
lations, and mine owners and managers had considerable
difficulty in making their selection, and, later, in obtain-
ing delivery of the apparatus from the makers. The
requirements of the regulations are now better under-
stood, and the difficulty is being rapidly got over.

Effects of the War.

During the last five months of the year owners and
managers have been very considerably handicapped,
firstly, by the shortage of labour; secondly, by shortage
and increased cost of pit wood and other furnishings;
and thirdly, by the very great difficulty experienced in
getting engineering plant delivered bv the makers
as the result of the present European war. It
appears that the number of persons employed under-
ground on the last pay day in December was 10’61 per
cent, below the average for the first seven months of the
year, while those employed above ground showed a
similar decrease of 7-70 per cent., the total decrease
below and above ground being 9’96 per cent. The
decrease in the persons employed below ground has
naturally been more marked in those above 16 years of
age, being 11*33 per cent., while the number under 16
years of age shows an increase of 3’13 per cent. How-
ever, these figures do not accurately represent the
shortage of labour due to the war, as the number of
persons employed on the last pay day in December was
probably considerably greater than during several of the
preceding pays, as workmen naturally turn out better
during the last pay in December, in view of the
approaching holidays. From enquiries made of owners
and managers throughout the district, Mr. Johnstone is
of opinion that the shortage of labour due to the war
approximates to from 13 to 16 per cent, on an average;
and the producing power of the labour employed is pro-
bably more seriously affected, inasmuch as the men who
have enlisted are all of military age, and consequently
a larger proportion of those remaining in the mines are
under or over this age. As already pointed out, the
number of haulage accidents may have been consider-
ably affected by the introduction to the mines of a
larger proportion of young and inexperienced lads. There