§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many employees were killed in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990 in accidents(a) in opencast coal mines operated directly on behalf of British Coal and (b) in licensed opencast coal mines; and how many men, in total, were employed in those divisions of mining during those years;
(2) what was the rate of reportable accidents per man shift worked (a) in opencast coal mines operated directly on behalf of British Coal and (b) in licensed opencast coal mines, for each year 1987 to 1990.
§ Mr. NichollsAt opencast coal sites operated by the British Coal opencast executive one fatal accident occurred in 1987–88 and one in 19887–89. There were no fatal accidents at licensed opencast sites during this period. Figures for 1989–90 are not available.
The Health and Safety Executive keeps records of the number of accidents at opencast coal sites but not of the numbers of persons employed at such sites.
It is not possible to calculate accident rates as information regarding the number of man shifts worked is not available.
§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of reportable accidents per man shift worked(a) in British Coal deep mines and (b) in licensed underground coal mines in 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990.
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§ Mr. NichollsAccident statistics are recorded by fiscal year and those for 1989–90 are not available. Statistics for 1987–88 and 1988–89 are as follows:
- (a) in British Coal deep mines the rate of reportable injuries per 100,000 manshifts worked was 38.62 in 1987–88 and 32.25 in 1988–89.
- (b) it is not possible to calculate the rate of reportable injuries at licensed underground coal mines as manshift figures are not available.