The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-27


structor for Each Coal Mine' was the
subject of C. II. Nesbitt, chief mine in
spector. in his speech before the oper-
ators' meeting yesterday:
1T is probable that no subject through
out the Industrial world. has received more
consideration than that of reducing mine
accidents. On this occasion we come face
to face to discuss the problem as it con-
Germs the coal mines of Alabama. Great
progress has been made from time to time
in the mines, and each year we are adding
new features and taking steps in the di-
rection Indicated. The Inauguration or
safety inspectors and instructors in the
coal mines is of such Importance as to
be Immediately commendable to all of our
coal operators We all doubtless agree
that education and supervision are indis-
pensable In all classes of trade where
the best results are obtained. All indus
tries which employ labor realize that 1t
is very important to have adequate super
vision over the entire force, even where
life and limb are not at stake.
sin coal mining supervision and dis
cipline are difficult because the workmen
are segregated singly or by pairs In their
respective working places, and, unlike
mills. factories and quarries, the foreman
or Superintendent cannot keep an ap-
preciable number of men under his eye
and direction at the same time, making
successive and frequent visits to each
place in the mine imperative; therefore.
in the ordinary coal mines in this district
the mine foreman and fire boss cannot
cover the ground and also discharge the
numerous other duties encumbent upon
them In coal mining, where the hazard
is great the cost of such supervision Is
many times offset by increased efficiency
,.{ala aPPnn1nliShPS the reduc .
ton of accidents.
Department of Safety
81 would, therefore, earnestly advo-
cate that the operators of Alabama
each establish department of safety
and instruction, and that, in addition to
the mine foreman and the IRE ooss
daily inspections be made OF every
working place by person experienced
and qualified to teach. and authorized
to enforce. provisions for safety. In this
state in 1912 we recorded 62 fatal ac-
cidents at the faces of working places.
These accidents were attributable to
the following causes, namely: Fan or
rock, fall of rock and coal, fall OF coal
and firing. Upon investigation 1t
was found that a majority of these
FATALITIES could have been avoided II
proper instruction and supervision had
been given and exercised. Probably In
all cases the victims followed their best
Judgment which obviously was bad
therefore, it is really necessary that the
advantage of experienced direction and
supervision of the work should be given
to all operations. No better evidence
of the value of this system could be
cited than the results which have been
attained by those Alabama operators
who have inaugurated 1t. Doubtless all
of us have taken notice of the consid-
erable reduction in fatalities in and
about the mines operated by the COM
panies referred to.
Human Element Must Exist
"As long as human muscle and brains
are essential to coal mining, Just so
long will the human element in the
causation of accidents exist; and the
ratio of avoidable accidents remain
directly proportionate to the extent
that ignorance, care1essness, Incidence,
disobediehce to rules and instructions,
and poor judgment prevail. How, them
can we best eliminate or minimize
these factors so productive of personal
injury to coal mine employees?
Doubtless some operators will object
to the Inauguration of this system be-
cause of the expense entailed by the In
creased organization; however, If they
will only compare the cost of this In
creased OTRdnlZdllOn Nilu the rlOSScS
they sustain in the absence of it, by
damage suits, court attendance, and the
existing high insurance rates. l believe
it will at once appear to them that
ultimately the suggested system is
really much more economical-and
then, the most important consideration
would be the great protection to human
life. In addition to this, 1t is well to
remember the increased operating cost
it,at Vaft hax n a-t. in
overhead burden. or fixed cost, which
accrues at night, Sundays and holidays,
as rapidly as on working days. You
have equipment, top-house force, cars,
mules and motors, drivers etc, ade-
quate to assemble and raise a certain
amount of coal.
you have entries and narrow work
driven, track laid, and certain num-
ber of rooms turned and working
potential of yielding the necessary out
put at reasonable operating cost. You
have your working force organized and
systematized for stability. economy, eff
ficiency and uniformity of output. The
accepted orders for coal are on your
books, the railroad cars are placed
and everything satisfactory, when the
engineer is signalled to pull up slow
ly with cars. Eventually the trip
energies from the pit-mouth with two
crushed and MANNED human bodies--a
minor and his helper-with from six to
eight rescuers and attendants What's
the result? Two men, either dead, dying
or crippled for life burial or hospital
expenses, lost time of attendants at the
funeral or bedside; working organiza-
ton disrupted; lost time of mules and
drivers, several rooms out of COM
mission for a day or more; the plac D
where the accident occurs has to be
cleaned UP and re-tmbered and will
remain idle until another miner comes
along; and the greatest of all, the