Safeguarding the use of electricity in mines

The sources of danger attending the use of electricity in mines are shocks, fires and explosions. Shocks are the electrical accidents that happen most frequently underground, the conditions there being especially favorable to the occurrence of such mishaps. Fires may be caused by leaks to ground, short circuits and blowing fuses. Injuries to electrical equipment, due to falls of roof often add to the fire hazard. Explosions may be result of the ignition of explosives, mine gas or coal dust. The paper discusses the underground conditions that are unfavorable to the proper installation and maintenance of electrical equipment and suggests, in general terms, some methods of making safer the use of electrical equipment in mines. These suggesions are finally summarized briefly under five heads. The closing paragraphs of the paper discuss electrical equipment as a means of promoting safety and mentions the telephone, the portable electric lamp, electric shot firing devices and storage battery locomotives as equipment that may be regarded as lessening the risks surrounding the underground worker.