UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1-29-47 PREFACE When the Bureau of Mines was created in 1910 the organic act had as one of its main provisions the following: That it shall be the province of said bureau and its director, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, to make diligent investigation of the methods of mining, especially in relation to the safety of miners, and the appliances best adapted to prevent accidents, the possible improvement of conditions under which mining operations are carried on, the treatment of ores and other mineral substances, the use of explosives and electricity, the prevention of accidents, and other inquiries and technologic investigations pertinent to said industries, and from time to time make such public reports of the work, investigations, and information obtained as the Secretary of said department may direct, with the recommendations of such bureau. The first annual report of the Director of the Bureau of Mines issued in 1911 states: The Bureau of Mines was established by an act of Congress (36 Stat, 369) approved May 16, 1910, and effective July 1, 1910. The demand for special recognition and aid from the Federal Government for the mining industry had been increasing for a number of years, especially among the metal-mining interests in the Western States, and from time to time bills looking to the creation of a national bureau or department of mines had been introduced in Congress by representatives of those States. At the time of the passage of the act establishing the bureau, however, the factors that were most effective in calling attention to the advisability of action by the Government were disasters in coal mines and a growing realization of the waste of both life and resources in the varied mining and metallurgical industries of this country. Hence, from the earliest period of the existence of the Bureau of Mines one of the main objectives of the Bureau's work was the prevention of loss of life and limb and the protection of the health of those who make available the mineral products which give this country one of its most important sources of its greatness as a Nation. During the years that have intervened since the Bureau of Mines came into existence in 1910, the Bureau has consistently and continuously conducted an educational campaign aimed toward fulfillment of the objectives mentioned; educational procedures are used partly because the Bureau of Mines has no legal authority to enforce any suggestions or recommendations as to health, safety, or efficiency but more definitely because it is believed that if those engaged in the work are kept informed as to what can or should be done they will eventually place those measures in effect. The Nation-wide nature of the health and safety work of the Bureau gives its representatives a far better opportunity to become acquainted with matters pertaining to health and safety in the mines of the United States than is afforded representatives of any other agency. Hence, it is appropriate that the Bureau of Mines should assemble and issue to the mining public its findings as to health and safety in the industry after an experience of about 35 years. A safety course for bituminous-coal-mine officials and persons who aspire to become officials has been formulated, and its component parts are to be published so they may be utilized not only by Bureau of Mines instructors in giving the course but also by officials of mining companies and others who take the course and wish to keep well-informed in accident-prevention measures then and afterward. The course has been formulated under the general direction of J. J. Forbes, assistant chief, Health and Safety Branch, and chief, CoalMine Inspection Division; it has been compiled and assembled by W. J. Fene, assistant chief, Coal-Mine Inspection Division, and H. J. Sloman, mining engineer. S. H. Ash, chief, Safety Division, E. H. Denny and G. W. Grove, supervising engineers, and other engineers of the Safety Division made valuable suggestions which aided in the formulation of the course. D. HARRINGTON, Chief, Health and Safety Branch. Permissible blasting devices-Cardox_. Conditions under which approval of explosives (including sheathed ex- Explosives-storage magazines_ _ Box-type magazines_. Precautions in handling blasting supplies- Underground magazines in coal mines. Underground storage of blasting supplies- Charging station for blasting devices_- Storage of blasting-device heaters.-- Transportation of explosives and blasting devices_ Transportation on public highways-- 60 Blasting records__ Specific accidents and how they could have been avoided. Transportation accidents__ Premature explosions_ Charging___ 71 72 72 72 74 74 75 75 76 77 77 78 List of miners' circulars_ 80 Fig. ILLUSTRATIONS 5. Shot firer placing Airdox shell in borehole__ 6. Shot firer retrieving Airdox shell after blast_ 1. Actual grain sizes of "A" and "B" black blasting powder. 3. Methods of controlling Cardox shells_ 4. Airdox compressor for blasting coal with compressed air. 7. Details of "Hydrabuster" hydraulic blasting device. 7 2. Comparative flame sizes of blown-out shots of black blasting powder, dynamite, and permissible explosive...... 8. A, Needle used in firing black blasting powder with a miner's squib; B, hole charged with black blasting powder and primed with a fuse____ 9. Pellet powder primed with electric squib and with fuse_ 10. Preparing fuse for lighting.. 11. Properly and improperly cut fuse placed in a blasting cap.. 12. Crimpers and blasting cap crimped on a fuse. 13. Shunted electric detonators__. 14. A, Permissible single-shot blasting units, dry-cell battery, refill type; B, permissible single-shot blasting units, dry-cell battery, package type. 27 15. Permissible single-shot blasting units, storage-battery type.. 16. Permissible single-shot blasting units, magneto type__ 17. Permissible 10-shot blasting units_ 18. Making clay dummies for stemming shots_ 19. A, Measuring depth of drill hole before inserting explosive charge; B, results of blasting a boulder in which the borehole had been properly drilled and charged.. 20. A, Miner scraping cuttings from borehole; B, charging borehole with wooden tamping bar.. 21. Shot firer hangs blasting cable on timbers and gets in clear before firing-22. A blown-out shot of black blasting powder exploding bituminous-coal dust in an explosion gallery. 23. Standard brick magazine_-_ 24. Standard sand-filled or weak concrete-filled magazine__ 29 30 31 32 26. Method of installing sand trays and ceilings in various types of magazines_ 25. Magazine of simple construction for storing small quantities of explosives; capacity, 4,000 to 4,500 pounds... 43 44 45 46 48 29. Magazine ventilation.. 30. Linings for steel magazines__ 31. Explosives-storage magazine and barricade__ |