§ SIR WILLIAM TOMLINSON (Preston)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the dangers, arising from the use of a high explosive called Saxonite for blasting purposes, which is on the list of the compounds authorised for such purposes by the Home Office; whether this substance. 59 though safe in the sense of not producing on ignition a spark capable of firing gas, is liable under some atmospheric or other conditions to explode prematurely under light percussion; whether any accidents can be traced to this cause; and whether he intends to take any steps in consequence.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas) The Returns of accidents occurring in connection with the use of explosives show that out of 301 such accidents in 1904, resulting in thirty-nine deaths and injuries to 343 persons, fifteen, resulting in three deaths and injuries to twenty-two persons, occurred in connection with the use of Saxonite. Taking those classes of accident in which the comparative sensitiveness of the explosive might act as a factor, e.g., accidents caused by tampering with miss-fired shots, ramming or stemming the charge, boring into unexploded charges, etc., I find that eight out of 116, or about 6 per cent. occurred with Saxonite. There are no statistics available as to the proportions in which the different explosives are used for blasting purposes; but I am advised that these figures would not appear to show, nor is there anything in the composition of the explosive to make it probable, that Saxonite is more sensitive than other explosives of the kind. It must not be supposed, however, that this or any other explosive can be safely used for blasting without proper precautions. It cannot be too often repeated that there is no such thing as a "safe" explosive.