Report of the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the Condition of all Mines in Great Britain. To which the provision of the Act 23 & 24 Vict. Cap. 151 do not apply, with reference to the Health and Safety of Persons employed in such mines with Appendices.

  • Great Britain. Royal Commission on Mines.
Date:
1864
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the Condition of all Mines in Great Britain. To which the provision of the Act 23 & 24 Vict. Cap. 151 do not apply, with reference to the Health and Safety of Persons employed in such mines with Appendices. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    were the footways properly protected by sollars and brattice work, a fractured limb would be tlie extent of the injury to be appro- bended from foiling away. The staves are generally ten inches apart, though the distance of twelve inches is still maintained m some mines^ causing an extra strain on the muscles. The miner lias frequently to bring up his tools with him in order to take them to the smith's shop, and on these occasions any imperfection of the ladders is particularly dangerous. Falling from one level to another.—It frequently happens that the winzes for the purpose of ventilation or the shoots for throwing down the stuff which communicate from one level to another are left uncovered, unprotected or carelessly bridged-over, or if covered over are not subject to constant inspection. Serious acci- dents have arisen in consequence. Falls of the rock.—Injuries resulting from falls of rock are of frequent occurrence in some mines. In those localities, where the rock or lode is of a friable or incoherent character and conse- quently liable to slips and falls, extra vigilance is necessarily called fcr. It often happens that the men-to save labour, and the agents to save cost, omit to put up the proper supports. Fall of stuff.—Casualties repeatedly occur from the fall of stuff out of the kibble in its vibration from side to side, or from the fall of the kibble itself from the chain breaking. In some mines these are to a considerable extent obviated by the adoption of skips with wire ropes and guide rods which prevent oscillation. Bursting of boilers.—Imperfect boilers are too often purchased for the use of a mine on its first being started, and the conse- quences, as might be expected, are frequent accidents. Another cause of boiler explosions arises from the chemical character of the water, which in some cases rapidly corrodes the iron and in others forms deposits; and a third cause is the omission of a second safety valve and of water gauges, which necessary instru- ments we have found only in rare instances, engineers depending entirely on the cocks to ascertain the quantity of water in the boiler. Further, it is the exception where the boilei's are period- ically and thoroughly cleaned and examined. The men in charge of the engines are generally those who from ill-health or injury are incapacitated from working under- ground, and not being trained engineers stand especially in need of a water (roxwe or an index to draw their attention Avhen the water in the boilers is getting low. Abandoned shafts.—Accidents arise not only to the miners but to the public from the very reprehensible practice of leaving abandoned shafts open and unprotected at the surface. From the 1st of March to the 7th day of May 1863 no less than seven fatal accidents occurred in the mines in Cornwall (in- cluding the very serious one in Botallack), occasioning in all a loss of sixteen lives. We deemed it our duty to make special inquiries regarding these accidents, and Mr. Wylie's report thereon is given in the Appendix. The mode in which coroners' CORNW.VLL. Accidents. Epitome. E. d'\ p. App. B. Vir. p. 29.'3, Epitome. B. a. G7o:j. p. 2.3. B. a. 2906. p. 21. App. B. VI. p. 292. E.y: g.h. App. B. VIE. p. 297. Epitome. B. b. 9509. p. 26. 9606. E. d. E. e. B. a. 3635. p. 22. E. i E. i. 10362. p. 89. E. «. App. B. XIII.