The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-10
Speed-Up and Machinery in
crease Miners Deaths-Or-
ganization, Miners Answer
BY ANNA ROCHESTER.

WHY the fatal accident rate for underground
workers in bituminous coal mines has jumped
from 46 per 10000 in 1916 to 1920 to 81 per 10000
in recent years is clear from circular issued
by the q. S. Bureau Of Mines. Speed-up has
been breaking down such safety standards as
there were, and new machines have brought IN
new dangers.
More men are killed by falls Of rock or coal
than by any other type Of mine accident Con-
veyors and loading machines have increased the
roof danger In the speed-up to place the ma
chimes as rapidly as possible. timbering stand
ards are neglected and no time is allowed for
periodical testing Of the roof. Such testing Is
absolutely necessary for safety, since the steady
noise Of cutting machines loading machines and
conveyors browns out the cracking sounds on
which miners have depended for warning of
fall of rock or coal
Face conveyors placed too close to the wall
of coal also increase the hazard for the worker.
This necessarily means that for short time
at least and in many Instances for most Of the
loading time, he Is working very close to the
face with the conveyor between him and safety
In the hand loading mine, falls OF coal or rock
usually catch only one or two workers at time
In the mechanical mine, work is more concen-
trated and more men are gathered In a small
area The number of victims in each roof &C
cident is likely to be larger than formerly.
Accidents from contact with moving gears
sprockets, drive chains, belts, ETC., are bound to
increase with the increase OF machinery, unless
all possible precautions are taken to guard the
moving parts. In one mine, 80 accidents oc-
Cured In the course Of two years from the prac-
tice OF shifting light face conveyors without
turning off the power.
Keeping the working face well ventilated Is
basic safeguard against gas explosions In
mechanical mine, the working face Is pushed
forward far more rapidly than 1t used to be,
and it costs the operator more than formerly
to keep the face supplied with currents Of air
from the main ventilating system So, for econ
omy, operators with mechanical mines often
depend on nlakeshift auxiliary ventilation sys-
tenn According to the Bureau of Mines, auxil-
larry ventilation by use Of small fans is ex-
tremely dangerous In any coal mine and has
been the direct cause of several disastrous ex-
plosions in recent years-chiefly in connection
with some sort Of mechanical loading"
speed-up has brought "a tendency to relax in
the care taken in the handling and use of ex-
plosives" Safety in shooting down the coal re-
| qures that only one hole at time shall be
! tamped anu shot. But speed comes before safety.
| Operators now encourage mass shooting" when
| two or more holes are prepared and blasted
simultaneously. in order to cut to the minimum
the interval when the machines must be held
| up for the shooting Of the coal.
Taking the coal mining industry as whole
! more than forty workers are killed every week.
on the average, and most Of them are sacrificed
in accidents which could be prevented.
All coal miners must organize against the
speed-up, which kills and mains, and push
forward the work Of building a powerful Oil
Smelter and Miners Union, affiliated to the
Trade Union Unity League.