Epitome of evidence taken before the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the condition of all mines in Great Britain to which the provisions of the Act 23 & 24 Vict. cap. 155 do not apply, with reference to the health and safety of persons employed in such mines / presented to both houses of Paliament by command of Her Majesty.

Great Britain. Royal Commission on Mines

Date:: 1864

Credit: Epitome of evidence taken before the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the condition of all mines in Great Britain to which the provisions of the Act 23 & 24 Vict. cap. 155 do not apply, with reference to the health and safety of persons employed in such mines / presented to both houses of Paliament by command of Her Majesty. 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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$(E.)—ACCIDENTS. I Accidents, to another; how does this happen?—Sometimes through carelessness. 11.488. Where does ii man fall; is it in the shaft?— In the shaft, and sometimes in winzes sunk from one level to another. You may have ever so good a foot- way but you will sometimes find that men, and especially young men, race, and they will sometimes throw away one of the others, and sometimes they will take up too great loads and carry them from one level to the other, which they ought not to do. Our men have no reason to carry down anything; our skips are open to carrying anything which they require. Sometimes men fall from one level to another through winzes and where there are very good ladder-ways. 11.489. There is no protection jiut at the mouth of the winze ?—Wc cannot put any protection at the mouth of the winze. 11.490. If a candle went out and a man had no means of lighting it, how would he get up from a low level ? —They have now genei'ally matches. 11.491. But su])p()se that the matches got wet?—If they were not well acquainted with the road their better way would be to stop where they were till some person came along ; some person generally comes along every hour or so. 11.492. They would not be safe without a light?—No. 11.493. (^^r. Hiillniiil.) Do younot sometimes go along the levels without a light ?—You may do so; but some- times there are sinks, and you get deceived by going in the dark. 11.494. I saw a man going along a level on his hands and knees without a light; is that a common thing ?— No. 11.495. {Chairmau.) I suppose that a man would sooner go on his hands and knees than stay two hours ? —He would. 11.496. (3/r. HnUniiil.) You said that there were no means of protecting the winzes which were left open; could not a grating be put over them without interrupting the ventilation ?—I think not. I think that that would injure the ventilation. 11.497. It would stop the ventilation very little ; they are in coal pits?—Our drivages and sinkages are rather small compared with what they are in coal pits. 11.498. A coal pit has a much greater current of air than you have ?—Then the gases are much stronger. 11.499. Is there any objection except the expense ? —The expense of it would be a mere trifle, because we could generally sollar over a jDlace which would take a man through. 11.500. I do not mean sollaring, but I mean that a grating or a fence might be put round?—When you go down a mine genei-ally that winze is sollared over more than where the ladder is to take a man through. The expense of a few boards on the edge there would be nothing, so that it cannot be on account of the expense. 11.501. (Mr. Kendall.) In many places where the winzes are you ascend and descend by ladders ; you could not put gratings over those without the trouble of removing them every time ?—No, you could not. 11.502. Is there any danger with ordinary care ?—No. 11.503. Might not a man go ten thousand times without any accident if he was moderately careful ?—• Yes. 11.504. You often put a plank a few inches wide, and the men would fall if they slipped; but is there no danger of their falling ? —No. 11.505. If the light goes out they should wait till they get another light ?—Yes. 11.506. And if they run any risk it is their own fault, they should not do it ?—Just so. 11.507. But with ordinary and common care the winzes and shafts are not dangerous ?—Not with ordi- nary and common care. 11.508. Have you ever known an accident of that kind happen underground where common care was used ?—I do not know that I have. Where accidents have happened, some I have seen have been through carelessness, and I have heard other men say that if they had used a little more care it would not have happened. 11.509. (Mr. Holland.) Did you ever know an acci- dent either above ground or below except from careless- ness ?—I do not know that ever I did. 11.510. {Chairman.) Besides winzes, when you find a bunch of ore do you not drive down ?—Yes. If we find a bunch of ore we drive on the level, and sink down after that. There are many sinks made by the tributers in stopeing away the ground, which would (E.) Accident be equally dangerous with the winzes, and more so. (a.)—ABANDONED SHAFTS. Capt. J. P. Daw. ^ Ti T m (E. a.) Aban- 11,611. in an old mme there are many footways and doned Shafts. shafts which are abandoned, are there not ?—Yes, 11.512. Are those always protected?—We look after that very closely. 11.513. Do you think that that is generally done? - I am sorry to say that it is not. I could point out many instances where it is not done. 11.514. And that of course causes great danger ?—Yes. Geoege Smith Esq. LL.D. 10.246. {Chairman.) Are there any accidents from falling down an abandoned shaft, from its being left open at the top and not protected ?—I think that I havo not known but one such case for many years. 10.247. Is it within your knowledge that there are many abandoned shafts which remain open and unpro- tected ?—Not many. You find one here and there, but I do not think they are numerous. 10.248. Is there any law compelling the abandoned shafts to be protected?—I am not aware that there is. I have never known a case in which a representation made to the proprietors of the mine or the mine agents has not been attended to. 10.249. All such cases, I suppose, Avould come before a coroner's inquest—Yes. (6.)—BLASTING. ^ Mr. William Eichaeds, ^j,. b.) Blast- 1056. (Chairman.) Have you had any accidents itff- occui' from blasting ?—We have only had one during the 12 years. 1057. How did it occur ?—It was through the care- lessness of the man ; it was a premature explosion. 1058. Was it from his going back too soon?—It was from the carelessness of inserting into the awl the tamping before he had propei-ly cleaned out the awl, and taken out the few grains of powder on the side of the awl; what we call the swabstick. Mr. Thomas Tkevelyan. 1146. {Chairman.) You have never had any accident from men being careless in blasting ?- Never. 1147. Have you certain rules laid down for them ?— We have rules, and I take upon myself at all times to give them advice to be cautious, and mind what they are using, and we have been very fortunate, and have never had an accident in blasting. 1148. But do you think that unless the men are pro- perly advised and looked after they become ca.reless in blasting ?—They are tolerably considerate and thought- ful men, they know what powder does, and knowing the results of powder, they know that they are dealing with a very important ingredient. Mr. Petee Clymo. 2262. (Chairman.) Have your men any set of rules given them with regard to blasting, and their conduct down in the mine ?—No particular rule. It is all done with the safety fuse ; it used to be done with a large nail, but that is hardly ever used now. 2263. Then any accident happening from blasting must be the fault of the men ?—I believe that a good deal of it is that. 2264. But there is a certain danger nevertheless in blasting?—There must be some, particularly if the men are not very careful in what they put into the hole for tamping ; they should be very careful in selecting the stuff for tamping, that is in filling up the hole \ipon the charge. But I am sorry to say that many of them are not sufficiently particular in that respect, the men take anything for that purpose, being in a hurry to get their work done; but that is a very important thing, and they ought to be very careful about it, they are frequently cautioned about being very particular in that respect. K3$

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