The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-09-03

Stand to one SlOe Wnen pulling or
picking down loose back.
Don't mine too much ore without
stopping to consider whether or not
timber is needed.
I Place your timber properly. II you
are not sure It = right. ask the boss
or some one else who knows.
Be sure to use enough timber.
II you see fellow workman doing
something dangerous, either through
carelessness or ignorance, don't laugh
at him; give him advice-and q lift.
See that your timber sets are pro-
perly spaced and blocked and that
enough tagging is used.
| Use forepoling or spalling in very
weak ground; 1t is slower, but is
much safer.
| Keep your eyes open for strained or
broken timbsts. They should be cared
for at once by putting in props or new
sets. If you are busy with something
else, or the Job Is too big for you, re-
port the matter to the underground
boss.
Do not under any circumstances
stand under a loose back.
Never take a chance of any kind. II
you do you may be killed: besides
you set a bad example for others.
| Pull down loose rock; don't attempt
to support 1t on small stulls or props.
When blasting face try to place
and load your holes SO that the shots
will not dislodge timbers in place.
When in doubt use timber
| If your place need Support and the
timber has not been delivered to you,
look up the boss and "kick." What.
ever you do. keep out Of the place un-
til you get timber 1t Is better to lose
some OF the company's time or your
own than to risk your life by working
in an unsafe place.
II anything occurs where you are
working that you do not understand,
such as the movement Of a large
block of ground, stop work and tell
the foreman about 1t.
| Don't sit or stand under broken
timbers or bad ground; find a safe
place.
/ Don't take a short cut through dan
gerous workings. The longest way
around Is often the shortest.
When the boss tells you that you
are doing something dangerous, stop
doing It, He is responsible for your
safety and knows what he Is talking
about--that's why he is the boss.
Remember that the management
needs your aid In preventing acci-
dents from falls.
Remember that most accidents are
caused by neglect Of the little things,
by disobedience Of rules and orders, or
by carelessness.
Testing Ground.
On account Of the varied nature Of
the ground in different kinds Of metal
mines, no set rule can be laid down
for detecting an unsafe place. Ore, or
rock, Of the same hardness may break
in small pieces, or 1t may come down
in large masses. When blasted 1t may
break clean or slabs or chunks may
be left hanging, ready to fall at the
slightest Jar. What applies in one
mine may not apply to mine of DIFF
ferent type. In some mines ground
that sounds solid when tapped may
later come down in a mass without
warning. In other mines "drummy"
Goose sounding) piece Of rock may
stand for years, as 1t may be held or
locked In place by the surrounding
rock
The usual method of spotting a dan.
gerous piece Of rock overhead Is to tap
the suspected piece gently at f1rst)
whit a pick handle. Often almost any
tool available Is used. As rule rock
that sound dummy Is not safe. AL
though such a piece Of rock may not
fall the safest thing to do Is to pull
or gouge 1t down If possible. It Is i'm
portant not to stand under the sus-
pected rock either when testing It or
gouging It down. It Is far better for
the miner to spend as much as an
hour II necessary in picking down
loose rock than to take chance Of in
jury or sudden death.
When the miner has learned the
nature of the ground in the particular
mine where he is employed, he will
become familiar with the danger signs
and the right way to detect the bad
ground.
Suggestions to the Underground Boss.
Among other things, It IL usually
your duty to carefully inspect timber
ing and general conditions at work
ing faces. In the matter Of prevent
ng accidents from falls you occupy
! most important position. The rec
'rds of large mine that recently
started an active safety campaign
showed that most Of the accidents In
he mine were caused by falls. and
hat these falls were occurring chiefly
n places drifts and crosscuts) that
we're thought to be safe. In places
where the ground was heavy 1t was
ound that few accidents occurred.
This was because more care was OBJ
erved in such places. This company
ranged for closer inspection Of the