Minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on metalliferous mines and quarries : volume 1.

  • Great Britain. Royal Commission on Metalliferous Mines and Quarries.
Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on metalliferous mines and quarries : volume 1. 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.

    56/406 page 48
    24 June 1910.] Mr. G. J. Williams. [Continued. 1423. (Mr. Greaves.) As a general rule, is water available ? I think so, because they use it for the boilers. 1424. (Mr. Lovett.) We have been speaking of the galleries. Do you think that there ought to be a maximum height for the working of granite quanies ? You have several quarries where you may have 140 or 150 feet high?—Yes, I think it would be an advantage where they were worked in galleries. 1425. At Trevor Quarry two serious accidents hap- pened last December, and I think you investigated the cause ?—I forget. 1426. One man is starting work to-day ?—I forget. Very likely I did. 1427. You have no idea whether reasonable precau- tions were taken ?—I forget the case. 1428. It was an injury to the head in both cases ?— From falls. 1429. In one case ?—I remember making investiga- tions as to that, In one case where a stone from a comer had fallen. I remember the case. 1430. (Mr. Lovett.) With the permission of the Chairman, I would like to raise another point. I think it comes into the question of health rather than safety, that is, as to the provision of shelters for the workmen ? (Mr. Redmayne.) I think it does come within it. 1431. (Mr. Lovett.) It seems to me it is important. It is a question that should be looked into. Have you had complaints that insufficient shelters are provided by any firm ?—For blasting ? 1432. No, for meals and blasting?—I do not recollect. 1433. Did you not on one occasion have complaints, and you said there was no Rule which would allow you to interfere ?—I believe I did, as to eating-houses, but in that case, and where I have had any complaint, I have tried to persuade the owners to do it, and in many cases I have succeeded. I have no right to interfere. I could compel them. 1434. Would you suggest that some Special Rule should be brought into operation with regard to shel- ters for meals ?—Yes. I suggest strongly that where there is more than a certain number of men employed there should be eating-houses. We have them in most of the slate quarries. 1435. I had a conversation with a doctor, and he suggested that we were extremely careful in safe- guarding the men against accidents, but we allowed them to herd together like animals in these sheds and shelters, so-called, places not fit for animals, and the injury in consequence to their health was beyond calculation ?—We have not many of those. In some cases there are eating-houses being constructed. I suggested it to the management of one quarry three or four weeks ago, and I think they are building them now. I object strongly, too, to men having meals in boiler- houses. 1436. That is practised to a considerable extent in your district, or anywhere they can get ?—Yes, but not often in the boiler-houses. I try to prevent it. 1437. (Mr. Redmayne.) You agree it is desirable that there should be some specified shelter ?—Yes. (Mr. Redmayne.) That meets your point. 1438. (Mr. Lovett.) Yes. Then during blasting operations there is not adequate provision in all quarries ?—I cannot think of one where there is not, except where all men leave the quarry. 1439. I know some where they are packed together like herrings in a box, and if anything happened they could not move. That is not a satisfactory state of things ?—No. 1440. Ought there not to be some legislation on the point ?—We have a rule that sufficient shelter shall be provided. 1441. It has not been put into operation ?—Yes. 1442. You have power to interfere at the present time ?—Yes. 1443. If we have complaints, we will lodge them with you ?—I should be glad if you would. 1444. With regard to the equipment of ambulance, have you had any complaints from any of the workmen in any of these quarries ?—No. 1445. Have you power to investigate these matters ? -—Yes, if more than 25 men are employed. 1446. In the case of some accident, at any rate serious more or less, is it not the fact that the ambu- lance baskets have been empty and not a bandage or splint or anything to be found ?—It is possible, but not to my knowledge. I have seen that the baskets have been supplied with bandages, but I do not always see if they have the baskets full. I might do that, perhaps. 1447. (Mr. Redmayne.) If there was any defi- ciency, the same thing would hold good, a complaint sent to the inspector would be investigated ?— I shall be glad to investigate any complaint. (Mr. Lovett.) I have known where accidents have happened and there has not been anything. 1448. (Mr. Redmayne.) It is the duty of the operatives to make the complaint ?—Is that in my district ? (Mr. Lovett.) Yes. The men fight shy of this because they might suffer in other ways. 1449. (Mr. Redmayne.) The inspector will be on the look-out ?—I wish you would let your men know that if they make a complaint their name will never be disclosed unless it is disclosed by themselves. 1450. (Mr. Lovett.) Is there any rale calling for unbaring of the quarries ?—Yes. 1451. How far should they be unbared ?—So as to prevent danger. 1452. Is there any rale on this point ?—No. 1453. I have heard that they should be unbared 4 feet back from the face of the rock ?—No, we have no rule. (Mr. Redmayne.) You suggest that it would be a good thing to have a rule ? (Mr. Lovett.) I think so. 1454. (Mr. Redmayne.) And you agree ?—Yes. 1455. How far unbared?—It depends on the nature of the overburden. 1456. (Mr. Lewney.) You have been dealing largely with quarries. May I bring you back to metalliferous mines ? Is it customary to provide dressing houses in your district ?—Changing-houses, yes. 1457. There is a special rule for dressing rooms ? —Yes. 1458. Is that practice universally adopted ?—Yes, when more than 12 persons are employed, except in slate mines. 1459. I was referring more to the metalliferous mines ?—Yes, it is enforced. 1460. Do you not think that even if there are 12 persons employed that some provision ought to be made in a matter of this sort ?—If a mine is wet, provi- sion ought to be made whatever the number of men employed. 1461. Whilst sinking operations are carried on you will agree with me tha t they are generally attended with water, and the men get wet, and some provi- sion ought to be made for changing their clothes when they come out of the mine ?—Yes. 1462. (Mr. Greaves.) Would that apply equally to a quarry, because the men get equally wet ?—It is a different kind of wetting. 1463. A different sort of water ?—Yes. The man is thoroughly drenched in sinking a shaft, but if it is very wet in an open quarry the men do not remain out. 1464. (Mr. Lewney.) You and Sir Henry Hall seem to be in agreement about the necessity for every one in authority having a certificate. Will you give us some reason for that ?—If it is for safety, my reason would be that the death-rate is higher in metalliferous mines and slate mines and quanies than it is in coal mines, and if a certificate is required in one case I think it is required in the other. 1465. You make no distinction between the metal- liferous mines and coal mines ?—Yes. 1466. How do you draw the distinction ?—First of all, the nature of the mineral they work and their methods of working. 1467. In the one case you have gases to deal with ; in the other they are absent ?—No.
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