Torbanlea Royal Commission 1901

Torbanlea report-of-the-royal-commission(1)

The Commission are of opinion that, in the majority of cases, the persons employed to manage collieries are very much below the standard in intelligence, and knowledge of mining, that should be required of men filling such responsible and important positions ; and that the employment
of á higher class of men as managers would not only do much to lessen the danger from accidents, but would also be advantageous to the owners, inasmuch as it would lead to the better working of their mines.

Torbanlea Royal Commission 1901 (page 35 of 203)

Separate Act for Coal Mines.
That, in view of the very great difference that exists between the working of coal and metalliferous mines, coal mines be worked under an entirely distinct Act.

With reference to Section 227 of the Act, providing that the persons employed
in a colliery may, at their own cost, appoint two competent miners to inspect the
mine, and that the persons so employed shall be allowed, once at least in every
month, to go to every part thereof, &c., the Commission regret to say that the
evidence shows that only in one single instance, and that . ten years ago, have the
miners availed themselves of this privilege.

The provision is an admirable one, and,if made use of by the miners, would tend greatly to improve the management of themines. Several witnesses were examined as to the reason why the men have not
availed themselves of this provision, and it was variously attributed by them : to an unwillingness on the part of the miners to incur the small necessary expense; to  an impression that such action might, to a certain extent, reduce the responsibility of the management ; and to a feeling that it would not be favourably regarded by the management.

With reference to this last objection it is but fair to state that all the managers questioned on the subject replied that they would be only too glad to see the men take advantage of thé section. One miner said that if chosen he would not act, because the men would think he ought to find fault when he did not see
anything to find fault with ; but the Commission cannot believe that this can be the true feeling of any large number of the men.

Section 198, which permits the men to appoint two competent miners to examine the mine or any part of the workings thereof, if they are considered unsafe by the miners, is also a dead letter, no effort on the part of the men having . ever been made to put it into operation.

RECOMMENDATIONS.
The Commission, in making recommendations with the view of lessening the liability to explosion of inflammable gas in collieries, are desirous of pointing out that they recognise the fact that as ” The Mining Act of 1898.” only came into operation during the month of March, 1899, there has not yet been sufficient time to fully test the efficacy of many of its provisions.
The Commission recommend :-
Management
1. That, after a date to be suggested by the Board of Examiners recently
appointed under Section 199 of the Act, no person shall be eligible to act as Manager
of a Coal Mine in which more than ten persons are employed underground, unless
he possess a First -Class Certificate of Competency, or a Certificate of Service.
2. That, after a date to be suggested by the Board of Examiners, no person
shall be eligible to act as Underground Manager in any Coal Mine in which more
than ten persons are employed underground, unless he hold at least a Second
Class Certificate of Competency, or a Certificate of Service.

Inspection before Commencing Work.

3. That inspections of coal mines shall be made with a locked safety -lamp,
except in the case of a coal mine, or district in a coal mine, in which inflammable
gas has not been found within the preceding twelve, months ; and that the person
making such inspections shall, in some conspicuous part of every working place
examined by him, mark the date of such inspection, and his initials.
4. That any place in a coal mine in which inflammable gas is likely to be
met with in any quantity, such as near faults, extensive goaves or wastes, or old
workings, a safety -lamp shall be used in such inspection.
5. That where safety -lamps are used, all exámiñations and tests of, and repairs
to such lamps shall be done by the owners.

Ventilation.
6. That no air -way shall be less than_ 18 square feet in section, and 3 feet in
height.
7. That no roadway, tunnel (or air -way which is ordinarily used as a
travelling way by the workmen), shall be less than 20 square feet ‘ in section, and
4 feet in height.
8. That where mines are ventilated by a furnace, fan, or other appliance,
such shall be kept fully and continuously in operation, except in the case of any
holiday or stoppage of work, when such appliance shall be started at least twenty – four hours before the commencement of work again in the mine.
9. That the system of placing steam -pipes in the main shaft, or in a
tunnel, where the men ascend or descend be discontinued. ; and that in all coal
mines where such a system now exists the pipes shall be walled or boarded of, or
other means be provided for the ingress and egress of the workmen employed.

10. That in the driving of levels or rooms, bratticing, or some other. means,
be employed to carry the air within five yards of the face of such levels or rooms:
11. That in the second paragraph of Rule 1, section 242 ‘of the Act, the
words ” districts or splits ” be defined as meaning, ” Such part of a seam as
has an independent intake. commencing – from a main intake air -course, and an
independent return air -way terminating at a main return air -course.’-‘

Use of Safety -lamps in Working`.
12. That no lamp or light ;other than a locked safety -lamp shall. be allowed.
or used-
,(a) In any place in a mine in which there is likely to be any suchquantity of inflammable gas as to render the use of. naked lights
dangerous ; or .

(b) In any working approaching near a place in which there is likely to be an accumulation: of inflammable gas ; or
(c) In any ventilating district in which any ignition of inflammable gas, however small, has occurred (hiring the preceding three months ; or
(d) In any district in which, owing to the proximity of á fault, the presence of open goaf, the occurrence of incipient creep, or any, other cause, there is reason to suspect the ‘occurrence of gas in that
ventilating district.
13. That when it is necessary to work coal in any part of a ventilating district with safety-lamps it shall not be, allowable to work with naked lights in another part of the same ventilating district situated between the place where such lamps are being used and the return air -way.
14. That wherever safety -lamps are used they shall be so constructed that they may be safely carried against the ventilating current ordinarily prevailing in that part of the mine, even though such current should be inflammable.
15. That a safety -lamp shall not be unlocked, except at, or on the out -bye side of, the lamp- station ; and under no circumstances shall powder or other flame – producing explosives be employed in working coal where safety -lamps are being used. .

16. That no person who has not been duly appointed for the purpose of examining, lighting, or cleaning safety -lamps shall have in his possession any key, or other instrument, or contrivance for opening the lock of any safety -lamp.
l7. That no person employed in a mine or part of a mine, where safety -lamps are required to he used shall have’ in his possession any lucifer match, or apparatus of any kind for striking a light,. or any pipe, tobacco, cigar, or other inducement to tamper with his lamp, or to obtain a light.
18. That where safety -lamps are required to be used the position of the lamp station for lighting or relighting the lamps shall not be in the return air -way.

Separate Act for Coal Mines.
That, in view of the very great difference that exists between the working of coal and metalliferous mines, coal mines be worked under an entirely distinct Act.

WILLIAM H. RANDS, Chairman.
WILLIAM FRYAR.
THOMAS GLASSEY.
WILLIAM RANKIN.
LEWIS THOMAS.