The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-03-12
Prevention of Mine Accidents Caused
by Electricity

| ~AS loiloW up u tue aEllCIt pup
lished last week taken from recent,
issued pamphlet from the bureau OF
mines on classification Of Mine Ac-
cidents Due to Electricity" the fol-
lowing Is given from the same source
on how to prevent accidents from cleo
tricity:
| The conditions surrounding electri
cal apparatus in mines are more Sc
we're and less constant than those sur
rounding similar installations above
ground; there are more trouble caus-
ing factors than are found upon the
surface.
Physical Conditions.
| Falls of roof sufficient to wreck,
trolley lines and feeder systems are
not uncommon. Dampness, dust and
acid water in sufficient quantities to
De detrimental 10 insulation are pres
ent in many mines. Some or all of
these conditions must usually be con
sidered in selecting mine electrical
equipment. Apparatus that might op-
crate satisfactorily In the absence OF
these elements will fail when they are
present.
The space available for installing
and operating underground electrical
equipment is usually limited, thus in
creasing the chance for accidental
contact with the live part of the sys-
tenn.
Another factor that has more influ-
ence than Is usually recognized Is the
lack Of light. Not only has this con-
dition direct bearing upon acciden-
tai contact with electrical apparatus,
but 1t also has an undesirable indi-
rect influence because of the difficult
Ties which 1t places in the way of pro-
perly installing and inspecting the
equipment
Temporary Character Of installations.
AS compared with electrical INSTALL
atoms on the surface those under
ground are temporary in character.
Circuits and machines are put In
place with the certain knowledge that
sooner or later they must be removed
and installed elsewhere. This fact
undoubtedly has an undesirable In
fluence upon the quality of work per-
formed. For economic reasons it Is
not practicable to resort to methods of
installation that would be followed If
the work were to be permanent. The
men who direct the work must have
peculiarly good judgment and must
be keenly alive to all the requirements
of the situation If a suitable factor of
safety and desirable low installation
cost are to be maintained. Although
elaborate methods of installation may
in time pay for themselves in low cost
of maintenance. such methods are not
economical If the equipment Is to be
moved frequently Obviously, an in
stallation investment In excess of the
amount necessary for satisfactory OPP
GRAFTON during the period of service is
an entire loss. If the period of service
is to be short. there Is a natural ten
dency to limit the cost of installation.
Whether such curtailment is wise de-
ponds so largely upon circumstances
that no general statement can be
made. However, undue reduction in
installation expenditures not only re-
duces the factor Of safety at one point
but also lowers the general standard
Of workmanship throughout the mine.
II no accident occurs as the result of
poor or cheap work it Is natural to
assume that the work met the re-
qurements The fallacy Of making a
tanned in single instance is manifest
at a glance. Yet arguments Of this
kind have undoubtedly been used in
the past to Justify inferior work
Tho Prevention Of Accidents Caused
by Electricity.
The problem Of safeguarding cleo
trical mine equipment is not a simple
one. There Is no general formula or
equation for its solution. Moreover
there are so many variables involved,
so many factors that can not be ex-
actly related, SO many possible coinci-
dences, that results can not be pre-
dicted with mathematical exactness. 1t
Is necessary to consider each part of
the problem by itself, in the light Of
local conditions, and to adopt such
measures as insure large factor of
safety.
Elimination Of Contributory Causes.
A logical first step would be to re-
move or to counteract as many I'M
favorable conditions as may be dis
posed Of thus.
AS previously stated, scanty light.
limited space and the presence Of dust
and dampness are underground con-
ditions that are favorable to the oc-
Of electrical accidents. The
Influence Of the first of these may be
eliminated by providing lights at par
ticularly dangerous places, such as
and crossovers. If electric
oF Jp y,