§ Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has considered the reports of recent inquiries on pit disasters; and what new measures for the promotion of safety in mines he is now considering.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydDuring the last 18 months, there have been four major accidents in mines—an inrush of moss or peat at Knockshinnoch Castle, a fire at Creswell, and explosions at Easington and Eppleton. The only report so far published is that on the Knockshinnoch Castle inrush. I have not yet received reports of the public inquiries into the Creswell40W fire and Easington explosion, nor the special report on the explosion at Eppleton which is also in preparation.
Although the re-opening of workings affected by a major fire, explosion or inrush, and the completion of the subsequent inquiries and reports, necessarily take a long time, there has been no delay in applying the lessons of these accidents. Action which has been taken includes the following:
(1) the issue of instructions by the National Coal Board about precautions to be taken by managements when underground workings are near to the surface or to potentially dangerous strata, pending new statutory requirements which are in preparation;
(2) the issue of instructions by the National Coal Board about the organisation and responsibilities of their planning and surveying services;
(3) the development of light-weight breathing apparatus and self-rescue apparatus;
(4) plans for the more extensive duplication of main intake airways;
(5) a comprehensive investigation of the fire hazard in mines, including special research into the detection and prevention of conveyor fires, and a general review of the fire-fighting organisation; and
(6) measures to ensure that electrical gear of foreign manufacture is not used in places where there is any danger from inflammable gas unless it has been modified so as to meet fully the British flame-proof standards.
Apart from specific action on such reports, however, I am constantly at work, in consultation with representative bodies in the industry, on new safety measures; and among others the steps which have recently been, and are still being, taken to improve the requirements about the qualifications and duties of mine officials and technicians should have a fundamental bearing on mine safety in general.