One Hundred Years of Federal Mining Safety and Health Research

Most of this initial research was specific to coal mines, but the Bureau also actively sought funds
to study safety and health problems in metal mines [USBM 1911].
Safety explosives research begun in 1908 under the USGS continued under the Bureau. The
Bureau’s second annual report [USBM 1912] noted the increasing use of new types of explosives
beginning to replace black powder in coal mines (see Figure 11). These newer explosives were
safer because they generated shorter and cooler flames, and thus were less prone to ignite any
nearby methane gas. Those meeting Bureau safety criteria were designated as permissible
explosives. In 1912, the Bureau conducted over 10,000 explosives tests and added 32
permissible explosives for use in gassy or dusty coal mines [USBM 1912]. The use of
permissible explosives reduced both the occurrence of mine disasters and the number of
individual accidents causing injury to miners.
Figure 11. Miner preparing explosive shot in coal mine.
Under the USGS, the Bureau also began to compile information on state laws and regulations
pertaining to mine safety. This information was passed on to the states to improve mine safety
legislation and directly to mine operators and miners to increase safety in coal mines. The
Bureau sent engineers to visit every mine that had suffered a significant explosion or fire to
investigate the cause and offer assistance where needed. These investigations were completed
“in cooperation with or the approval of the state or mine officials” [USBM 1912]. At that time,
the Bureau had no statutory authority to enter and investigate mines without permission.
2.4 The USBM and Miner Health
In response to diseases that emerged among the mining population, the USBM began to
investigate miner diseases concentrating on the lung illness then called “miner’s consumption” or
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