SAFET^ IiX WINDJ.NG OPERATIONS. 20/ 



there were 'j<<)'j driving-engines licensed for the conveyance of 

 persons, 15 ch-ivin^ nnhcensed hoists, whilst 2}^ were otherwise 

 employed. 



If 3 per cent, is a reasonable wastage to estimate, then at 

 least 40 new drivers should be produced each year. The average 

 number of certificates issued by the Johannesburg Board of 

 Examiners for the past five years has been only 24, so that it 

 appears (juite time that a satisfactory and popular system of 

 apprenticeshi]) be put into operation if the mining industry is 

 to continue (»n tlie same scale as at present. 



It would be very rash, however, to sui)pose that an assured 

 satisfactory- supply of perfectly-trained winding-engine-drivers, 

 even working shorter shifts and medically inspected periodically, 

 as has l^een sometimes suggested, would entirely provide against 

 " overwinding " and " runaway '' shaft accidents. By closely 

 considering the nature of the winding-engine-driver's duties it 

 mav be seen that some small proportion of errors should be 

 regarded as inevitable. The right thing must always be done at 

 exactly the right time, and a moment's lapse at the critical instant 

 is very likely to lead to disaster. 



In endeavouring to prevent mishap following on the error or 

 omission, it is therefore wise to employ all automatic safeguards 

 that engineering ingenuity can devise, provided that no new 

 elements of danger are introduced that are not of less possible 

 consequence. 



Before considering the safety aj^pliances at present in use. 

 tiieir more general application and the possibilities of the intro- 

 duction of further preventive measures, attention may be 

 directed to the classes of accident that now occur, and their 

 frequency and imjjortance. compared with other shaft accidents. 



The accompanying table shows this comparison for a period 

 of ten vears. From a study of the figures in the various columns 

 it will l)e seen that, excejjt in the cases of the lirst and second 

 columns, the percentage ligures for Class T ( " ( )verwinds and 

 Runaways") and Class II ("Ropes, Chains, or Connections 

 Breaking " ) are fairly low. The non-casualty accidents report- 

 able under Regulation 274, outside the two classes just mentioned. 

 ma\- obviously be expected to be of much rarer occurrence, and 

 the liigher percentage ligures in Column 2 in these classes should 

 not occasion any surprise. It may be of interest to i)oint out 

 here that the classes of accident that ])roduce the great bulk of 

 the casualties in shaft accidents are " Material ( stones, timber, 

 tools, etc.) falling in shaft"; "While ascending or descending 

 bv machinery — exclusive of accidents under Classes I and II " ; 

 " Struck by cage or skip " ; and " Miscellaneous." Tlie meaning 

 of the term " overwinding " is that the conveyance is either 

 raised or lowered too far, but, in the case of a non-casualty 

 accident it is not supposed that a failure exactly to meet the 

 landing is reportable. In the crise of a " runaiway.'' it is meant 



