The Washington times., 1913-07-28
MINE SAFETY MEN
TO HOLD MEETING
Leaders in Movement to Reduce
Fatalities to Gather at
Pittsburgh for Conference.

To reduce the death toll in mines and
quarries Of the United tSates, leaders
In the safety first" movement which
began in this country about five years
ago through the influence of the Fed
eral Bureau Of Mines. will gather at
Pittsburgh, Pa, September %, to dis
cuss methods and results.
Mine operators. mining engineers, and
mine surgeons representing practically
every important mining company in the
United States will be in attendance.
The meeting at Pittsburgh, which is
to continue three days. will open with
a mine-rescue and first aid contest in
Arsenal Park. Pittsburgh. TheN next
day the members will visit the expert
mental mine of the Bureau Of Mines.
at Bruceton, Fa-. where a coal dust
explosion will lbe made to order to
show the members that coal dust is
even more dangerous to the miner than
gas. On September "a, there will be
various meetings to discuss methods
and the possibilities of uniform prac-
tice. In the afternoon all delegates viii
visit the experimental station of the
Bureau of Mines.
Members of Association.
Most of those who viii attend are
members Of the American Mine Safety
Association, which held its first meet
ing one year ago in Pittsburgh.
Here is the problem they have on
hand: In the year 1911. 1908 men were
killed in the mines and Quarrtes OF the
United States. Sixty-three thousand
three hundred and one were inquired
during the same time. The death rate
for all mining that year reached 35S
men in every loo employed.
In the last five years several hundred
mines have been equipped with rescue
crews to save life following disasters,
and first-aid crews to give succor to the
men who are injured.
The development of this humanitarian
work has led to a confusion of methods,
and the object of the Mine Safety Asso-
ciation is to discuss the different meth
DDS and recommend the use Of only the
best. In discussing the object of the
association. H. NJ. Wilson, Of the Bu-
reau of Mines, said today: '1n the hope
of reducing the number OF these acci-
dents and shortening the period of dis
ability of the injured, 1t was felt that
there should be greater uniformity in
the methods of conducting rescue opera
tfons in mines after explosions, fires or
other disasters, and to give first aid to
the injured.
Spread Is Rapid.
"workingmen's compensation acts
have in recent years been passed in
fifteen States, of which ten were en-
acted in the year 1911. The rapid
spread of legislation compelling en-
ployers to care for injured workmen
clearly shows the Importance to the
employer of reducing the liabilities
by every means at his disposal These
are of two kinds, namely, safety or
preventive measures, and protection
or rescue and first-aid methods.
Mine operators now realize that IL
is more expensive to restore wrecked
mines, more costly to fight damage
suits through the courts, and less
profitable to pay regulated liability
charges or even workmen's compen-
sa tion. than il is to bear the cost in
yolyed in reducing these charges by
means of diminishing the number of
accidents and the duration of the re-
sulting disability by the adoption of
improved safety, rescue, and first-aid
methods.
Since IS per cent Of all industrial
accidents are shown by statistics to be
due TO negligence, carelessness, or lack
of knowledge of employers. or EN-
ployes. the vital necessity OF learning
everything possible about the causes
and means Of preventing these acct
dents must be evident to every man
concerned in mining. To the operators
Il spells business success or failure;
to the miner. life or the physical ability
TO work and support a family