MINE SAFETY DEVICES DEVELOPED BY THE UNITED 

 STATES BUREAU OF MINES. 



By Van. H. Manning, Director. 



[With 7 plates.] 



The present article outlines the character and the method of use 

 of some of the more important devices developed by the Bureau of 

 Mines in its investigations looking to greater safety in mining, and 

 discusses the bureau's work in educating and training miners to pro- 

 tect themselves from harm and in furthering the use of safer ex- 

 plosives and equipment in mines. Although the Bureau of Mines is 

 investigating conditions, methods, and equipment in the quarrying, 

 metallurgical, and other mineral industries as well as in mining, this 

 article deals particularly with appliances used in coal mining. 



MINE RESCUE AND FIRST-AID WORK OF THE BUREAU OF MINES. 



In its mine safety and first-aid work the Bureau of Mines has four 

 main objectives, as follows: 



First. To investigate and report on mine accidents to the end that 

 their causes may be more thoroughly understood and the mine oper- 

 ators advised as to the best means of avoiding them. 



Second. To teach the use of oxygen mine-rescue apparatus and the 

 methods of performing first aid to the injured. 



Third. To send trained rescue crews to the scenes of explosions, 

 fires, or other accidents in order to save life and property. 



Fourth. To acquaint mining men with safe and unsafe mining prac- 

 tices through lectures, conferences, motion pictures, and the wide 

 but judicious distribution of its publications. 



During the fiscal year 1916, 89 accidents were investigated and a 

 thorough report made on each. If a given report indicated that 

 electricity had been a contributory cause of the accident the matter 

 was referred to the bureau's electrical engineers for consideration and 

 reconunendations as to ways of preventing similar accidents. Simi- 

 larly problems concerning explosives, mine gases, and the coal dust 

 and other hazards are referred to the bureau's experts. 



It is, of course, well understood that mining is a hazardous occu- 

 pation and that injuries more or less severe are of daily occurrence 

 in large mines. From the very nature of the work, practically all 



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