HC Deb 30 June 1926 vol 197 cc1138-9
34. Mr. PALING

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of fatal and other accidents occurring in mines in this country in each complete year immediately before and after the introduction of the Eight Hours Act and the Seven Hours Act, respectively; and the number of persons engaged in the mining industry during each of such years?

Colonel LANE FOX

The reply involves a long statistical statement, and I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the statement:

NUMBER OF PERSONS Killed and Injured and Number of Persons Employed at Mines under the Coal Mines Acts, in Great Britain and Ireland, during the years 1904 to 1908, 1910 to 1918 and 1920 to 1925, so far as particulars are available.
Hours of Work below Ground, and Year. Number of Persons Number of Persons Employed.
Killed. Seriously Injured.* Injured.† Number of Persons Employed.
Nine-hours average.
1904 1,055 — Particular were not collected prior to 1980. 847,553
1905 1,159 — Particular were not collected prior to 1980. 858,373
1906 1.142 — Particular were not collected prior to 1980. 882,345
1907 1,245 — Particular were not collected prior to 1980. 940,618
1908. 1,308 5,860 141,851 987,813
Eight-Hours Act.
1910 1,775 5,737 159,042 1,049,407
1911 1,265 5,858 166,616 1,067,213
1912 1,276 5,331 150,652 1,089,090
1913 1,753 5,675 177,189 1,127,890
1914 1,219 5,084 158,862 U to July, 1,133,746
End of Dec., 981,264
1915 1,297 4,751 Particulars were not collected during the war 953,642
1916 1,313 4,499 Particulars were not collected during the war 998,063
1917 1,370 4,632 Particulars were not collected during the war 1,021,340
1918 1,401 4,300 Particulars were not collected during the war 1,008,867
Seven-Hours Act
1920 1,103 4,287 117,302 1,248,224
1921‡ 756 3,039 86,352 1,144,311
1922║ 1,105 4,739 185,497 1,162,754
1923║ 1,297 5,200 212,256 1,220,431
1924║ 1,201 4,808 195,423 1,230,248
1925║ 1,135 4,336 180,000§ 1,119,000§
* The following classes of accidents which are reported at the time of their occurrence to H.M. Divisional Inspectors of Mines, are included, viz.: (a) Accidents causing fracture of head or limb, or dislocation of limb, or any other serious personal injury; (b) Accidents caused by explosion of gas or dust, or any explosive, or by electricity, or by overwinding, and causing any personal injury whatever. The majority of these accidents involve a period of disablement extending to at least one week and are included in the next column.
†In 1924 and 1925 accidents which disabled the person injured for more than three days were reportable, the limit in earlier years being seven days.
‡In consequence of the national stop, age of work at coal mines, almost all the mines were idle for about three months in 1921.
§ Provisional figure.
[...] Great Britain only.