HC Deb 26 April 1989 vol 151 cc571-3W
Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many miners he estimates are or have been exposed to noise levels above 90 dBA during the past 10 years; and what is his estimate of the proportion of those so exposed who are likely to suffer hearing damage.

1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984–851 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
Outbreak of fire below ground and withdrawal of men due to smoke and other signs of fire 68 72 72 11 66 46 11 58 72 52
Number associated with conveyors 17 28 20 30 24 2— 31 25 34 28
1 15-month period January 1984-March 1985, including the period of industrial dispute.
2 Not known.

Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the proportion of miners who suffered disability after working underground for 25 years or more.

Mr. Nicholls

The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

1988. Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of serious injury among mine workers and the proportion of the labour force this repre'cnted in(a) 1968, (b) 1978 and (c)

Mr. Nicholls

The information requested is supplied in the table.

The rate of serious injury among mine workers is calculated per 100,000 manshifts worked.

Year Serious injuries Porportion of labour force represented
1968 1.07 1:430
1978 0.99 1:502
1988–891 3.35 1:127

Mr. Nicholls

Information regarding the number of miners who have been exposed to these noise levels is not available.

Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been employed as contractors for or on behalf of British Coal in each of the past five years; and what proportion of these individuals have suffered injury in each of those years.

Mr. Nicholls

This information is not available and could only be obtained, if at all, at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if dust levels experienced in underground operations have increased in recent years.

Mr. Nicholls

Since 1977–78 British Coal's annual progress report on respirable dust shows a downward trend in the average national dust levels. However, in 1987–88 there was a small increase of 3.8 per cent. over 1986–87 levels. Cutting coal at the face is by far the major generator of dust in mining operations and since 1985–86 the average daily output per coal face has risen by 39 per cent.

Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of underground fires recorded at collieries during each year since 1979 and the number of those associated with conveyors.

Mr. Nicholls

The information requested is set out: in the table.

1 Provisional.

Source: British Coal Corporation and Health and Safety Executive.

Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice he has been given by Her Majesty's inspectors in regard to the use of roof bolts in underground mining operations.

Mr. Nicholls

My right hon. Friend has not received any advice from the Health and Safety Executive on this subject.

Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of accidents involving major injury have occurred in the last hour of the working shift in underground employment.

Mr. Nicholls

The information on accident rates does not include details of the relative time in a shift when an accident occurred. However, British Coal conducted a 12-month survey on this topic from April 1986 to April 1987. This showed that of the total of 993 major accidents in that period only 33 occurred in the last hour of a shift. This is less than 4 per cent. of the total.

Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what duties he expects to be carried out by the proposed pit supervisors; and what differences will exist in practice and statutory requirement in comparison with those currently exercised by colliery deputies.

Mr. Nicholls

My right hon. Friend understands that the Health and Safety Commission is currently considering proposals relating to the management and administration of health and safety at mines. Because the proposals are still in a formative stage it is not possible now to state what duties will be carried out by pit supervisors, nor how the future role of deputies will differ from their present role, if at all.