§ Mr. GLOVERasked the Home Secretary whether he can state the number of serious accidents reported to the inspectors of mines during the years 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, and 1908, and the number of non-serious accidents during 1908?
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§ Mr. GLADSTONEThe figures of fatal and non-fatal accidents reported to the
Year. Number of Accidents reported. Fatal. Non-Fatal. Coal Mines. Metalliferous Mines. Quarries. Total. Coal Mines. Metalliferous Mines. Quarries. Total. 1903 … 1,036 25 90 1,151 3,606 250 1,373 5,229 1904 … 1,017 31 110 1,158 3,512 232 1,278 5,022 1905 … 963 43 97 1,103 3,380 245 1,193 4,818 1906 … 1,065 33 92 1,190 3,592 214 1,337 5,143 1907 … 1,162 33 88 1,283 5,599 281 1,459 7,339 1908* … 1,137 36 90 1,263 5,588 247 1,515 7,350 * Preliminary figures, subject to correction. The total of fatal and non-fatal accidents reported were:—
In 1903 … … … 6,380 In 1904 … … … 6,180 In 1905 … … … 5,921 In 1906 … … … 6,333 In 1907 … … … 8,622 In 1908 … … … 8,613 I have no information as to non-serious accidents in 1908. I should point out as regards the figures of non-fatal accidents that in the case of certain classes of acci- 1650W inspectors of mines during the years mentioned are as follows:—
dents (e.g., accidents caused by explosion of gas or dust, or any explosive, etc.) all are required to be reported whether causing serious injury or not; and also that the requirement as to reporting non-fatal accidents was extended by the Notice of Accidents Act, 1906, so that the figures for the last two years are not comparable with those for the preceding years. The figures of accidents disabling for more than seven days, which are required to be returned under section 1 of the Act of 1906, are not yet available.