Explosions, Floods, and Entrapment:

Explosions, Floods, and Entrapment: th
Mine Safety throughout the 20 Century By Beth Buck and Kayla Reed Explosions, Floods, and Entrapment: Mine Safety in the 20th Century State Standards Alignment:
8.1.12. C:
• Evaluate historical interpretation of events through mUltiple points of view and
looking at issues and problems in the past.
8.2.12.C:
• Identify and evaluate how continuity and change have influenced Pennsylvania
history from the 1890s to Present by looking at mine safety before 1925 and
comparing that to the mine safety during a recent disaster.
Objectives:
Students will:
• Research and analyze the position of mine workers, mine owners, or government
officials during a mine disaster in recent and early mining history.
• Apply negotiating and group reasoning skills while trying to come to a resolution on
past and future mine safety based on their research.
Lesson Activity:
Mine Disaster Negotiation:
• Students will be split into three groups consisting of mine workers, mine owners,
and government officials.
• Groups will be asked to research a mine disaster from before 1925 and a mine
disaster from after 1950, looking specifically at their party's reaction to mine safety
protocol and how that has changed and could be applied to a current mine disaster.
• Students will then be asked to participate in a large group discussion where they will
come to a resolution about the mines past safety and changes that need to be made
to ensure the safety of workers.
• Remember that students should take on the interests of their particular group,
whether it be government officials, mine workers, or mine owners.
List of Assessments:
Paper:
• 3 to 5 page reflective paper, done individually, on the Mine Disaster Project.
Small Group Discussion Questions:
• What are some of the emotions that you think the Chilean miners' families went
through while their loved ones were trapped underground?
• If the Quecreek rescuers did not have the modern technology and other resources
available, would this story still be a success? Why didn't the Sago Mine Disaster in
2006 use similar tools which could have possibly saved the lives of 12 miners?
• What are some particular changes you would make to better the safety
requirements and regulations of mines and the miners?
• Do you think there was a better solution to the way the situation at Quecreek was
handled? The way Sago was handled? Was there a more efficient approach that
could have been taken to possibly get the miners out faster and make sure that they
were all alive?
• If you were in the miners' shoes, what emotions would you experience?
• If you were a trapped miner would you be actively involved in trying to be rescued
or would you just sit quietly and wait to be rescued?
• Pretend that you are a life-long miner who was rescued from a mine accident a few
weeks ago. Would you feel comfortable going back into the mine? Why or why not?
If you aren't, what else would you do occupationally to support yourself and your
family?
Fact Sheet:
1. Mine Safety before 1925: Overview
a. Why was mining before 1925 so dangerous?
i. Boys as young as 10 and men old enough to be grandfathers could work in
early twentieth century mines. This would pose a major problem to mine
safety.
ii. Mines were dangerous just because of the lack of technology to make them
safer. For example, men wore cloth hats with lights that consisted of open
oil flames. As we know now, that would have been hazardous due to gases
in the mines.
iii. These early mines also had poor ventilation, making them more prone to
gas and dust buildup.
iv. There were no organized rescue groups. It was basically every man for
himself.
b. Early mine disasters
i.
Naomi Mine of the United Coal Company in Vernon, PA
1. A mine explosion killed 34 miners on December 1, 1907
ii. No.6 and No.8 mines in Monograph, WV
1. Simultaneous explosions occurred at these mines killing 362 miners
and leaving one lone survivor on December 6,1907. This is, to date,
the worst mine disaster in United States history.
iii. Darr Mine near Jacob's Creek in Southwestern PA
1. A gas a dust explosion took the lives of 239 miners on December 19,
1907. This disaster remains the worst mine disaster in Pennsylvania
history.
c. Early Mine Safety Legislation
i. 1865 - First bill, introduced by Senator William Morris Stewart of Nevada, to
create a federal mining bureau.
ii. May 22, 1908 - Congress passed an act authorizing investigations of the
causes of mine explosions.
iii. July 1, 1910 - Congress passed an act (Organic Act of 1910) creating the
United State Bureau of Mines. The job ofthe USBM was to see to it that
mines were run safely and efficiently.
2. Quecreek Mine Disaster
a. Who: 9 Male Miners between the age of 31 and 52 including the Crew Foreman
b. What: While mining, thanks to an inaccurate map, the miners broke into a
neighboring abandoned mine when they thought they were safely away from it. The
abandoned mine was filled with water that was slowly seeping towards them. Stuck,
the miners were fearfully for their lives but above ground, rescuers were hard at
work saving them. With engineers and mine experts at hand, they worked around
the clock to save the trapped miners. After 72 hours of exhaustion and prayers, the
miners were rescued one by one. No one was harmed and this incredible story
received national attention. After investigating the accident, safety requirements
such as stricter map codes, upgraded equipment, and additional training were
heavily enforced.
c. Where: Western Pennsylvania, Somerset County, Sipesville
d. When: July 24,2002
e. Why: Because of an inaccurate map, the miners believed they were more than 300
feet away from a neighboring mine. But it turns out they were right on top of an
abandoned mine filled with water. After breaking through, the miners tried to get
away but were trapped. 9 of the 18 miners escaped while the remaining 9 prayed
that they would quickly be saved.
3. Sago Mine Disaster
a. Who: By 6 a.m. there were 29 miners inside the mine. There were two crews of 11,
each with a foreman and the One Left Crew had 3 extra men with them. The age
range of these men is similar to that of Quecreek.
b.
What: As stated above, there were 29 men in the mine by about 6 a.m. By 6:05
a.m. the mine dispatcher is getting a Carbon Monoxide reading that says there is a
high level or the equipment is malfunctioning. At this pOint, according to the official
report, a severe thunder and lightning storm rolls over the area, striking very close
to the mines. At approximately 6:26 a.m., after an unusually powerful lightning
strike, the mine explosion occurs. This is most likely due to the buildup of CO
(carbon monoxide) in conjunction with the lightning strike. After this, the miners
are called and the word was given to call in a rescue crew. At this point the mine
superintendent, both maintenance chiefs, and the safety officer went into the mine
to survey the damage. The One Left Crew and the extras carried with them into the
mine are making their escapes successfully, but no one has heard from the Two Left
Crew. At this pOint, most have assumed that there had been an explosion and by
8:15 a.m., an hour and forty-five minutes after the initial call for rescue, the rescue
crews are just being contacted. By 11 a.m. the first two mine rescue teams arrive on
the scene but don't actually attempt a rescue until approximately 10 hours after the
initial explosion. At 11:45 p.m., the miners are reached and the word is given that
they are all alive. This is where the disaster comes in.
c. Where: Sago, West Virginia
d. When: January 2, 2006
e. Why: Why did eleven men have to die? This is a question of mine safety protocol.
There was no attempt to make contact with the trapped miners until almost twenty­
four hours after they had been trapped. This speaks to the initial mine safety and
the condition of the equipment before the miner went into the mine on January 2,
2006. The fact that it took the teams twenty-four hours to make contact says that
the mine safety protocol was obviously not set up to deal with such a situation but it
should have been. The major questions asked by the investigative team were those
asking whether or not the mine owners did everything that was required by law.
Obviously, whether they did or did not, the mine was not protected enough to send
miners down.
4. Chilean Mine Disaster
a. Who: 33 Male Miners, between the ages of 34 and 54
b. What: A cave-in trapped the 33 miners more than 2,000 feet below the surface. The
fate of these miners was uncertain due to the fact that they were so deep. Unsure if
any of the miners were still alive, they drilled a small hole and sent down a drilling
hammer. When it returned to the surface a note was attached stating that all 33
miners were alive. Crews working to try to get the miners out also tried to make the
miner's lives a little easier. Through a small hole, they were able to supply the
miners with food, medical equipment, a modified telephone and some
entertainment technology. After 68 days, rescuers' were able to drill a hole large
enough for a capsule to bring up the miners, one by one.
c. Where: San Jose Mine, Chile
d. When: October2010
e. Why: The San Jose Mine was located under a 700,000 ton block of granite causing it
to collapse.
Pictures from each mine disaster can be found in Appendix A.
Annotated Bibliography
Alexi Barrionuevo and Simon Romero, "Trapped 68 days, First Chilean Miners Taste Freedom", New York Times, October 12, 2010. Accessed November 14, 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/13/world/americas/13chile.html?pagewanted=1>. Barrionuevo and Romero capture the emotion and worry that was felt when thirty-three miners were trapped underground for 68 days at the San Jose Mine in Chile. The human struggle and the man force behind the operation of rescuing those miners are uplifting and for once, Chile experience positive media attention. With an unknown expense, rescuers worked constantly to get the miners out as well as trying to make the miners as comfortable as possible. Through a small borehole drilled in the ground, the miners were able to communicate with rescuers, receive medical attention, discuss depression and anxiety with a psychologist, write lettersto loved ones, and watch soccer games. "Chile rescue resumes after capsule repairs", last modified October 12, 2010. Accessed November 14, 2010. <http://www.timesofmalta.com/a rticles/view/20101013/world-news/chile-rescue-i nterrupted­ for-capsule-repairs>. I accessed a picture of the Chilean rescue found in the Appendix from this site. Breslin, John A., iil00 Years of Federal Mining Safety and Health Research," Department of Health, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh (2010). This document gives the reader an overview of mining health and safety. This was used to find more information about mine disasters before 1925 but it also contains information on more current mine disasters and the safety measures that were put in place and are still be put in place. Langfitt, Frank. 2006. "Covering the Sago Mine Disaster." Nieman Reports 60, no. 2: 103-104. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed November 15, 2010). There was much confusion surrounding the Sago Mine Disaster. Much of this confusion was due to the media and how they reported the disaster. This source explores the media outlets that covered the story and how exactly these media sources did not follow the correct protocol which exacerbated the effects of the disaster further. This article was put out by the Nieman Foundation, which is affiliated with Harvard University. "Mine Safety Overview." Congressional Digest 87, no. 1 (January 2008): 5-32. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed November 15, 2010). This article gives an overview of congressional legislation concerning mining since 1925. It outlines major legislation passed through Congress that has changed mine safety in the United States. The author also goes on to talk about legislation that was spurred through Congress due to the Sago Mine
Disaster, which was the first new legislation since 1977. Congressional Digest was made to give
students, teachers and citizens an impartial view of controversial issues.
"Miner's son films Chile rescue documentary", last modified October 14, 2010. Accessed November 14,
2010.http://tf.org/pub/3dOc2e8174e15a4f99e88b9fOad42e46/movie news/Miner's son films Chile r
escue documentary.html.
I accessed a picture of the Chilean rescue found in the Appendix from this site.
If
Pennsylvania Highways: Quecreek Mine Accident", July 22, 2009. Accessed November 12, 2010.
http://www.pahighways.com/features/guecreek.html.
This site talks about what happened at the Quecreek Mine in the summer of 2002. It mentions the
triumphs of the rescue as well as the setbacks that were faced such as the breaking of a drill bit that was
drilling a hole for the capsule. Once the drill broke through to the mines, contact was made, and
Governor Mark Schweiker announced that all nine miners were alive. Several Quecreek pictures found
in the Appendix were courtesy of this site.
"Quecreek Mine ACcident," Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, accessed November
5,2010. http://www.dgs.state.pa.us/portal!server.pt/community/guecreek mine accident/13994.
This contains the Quecreek Mine Accident Investigation Report. The 52 page report uncovers that the
cause of the accident was due to maps that were outdated and inaccurately depicted mine workings.
The report also urges for better map verification and refurbishing the permit procedure in order to
operate.
th
Washlaski, Raymond A. and Ryan P. Washlaski, "History ofthe Naomi Mine," Jan 12003, The 20
Century Society of Western Pennsylvania, http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com/faynaomLhtml
This website gives an overview of the Naomi Mine Disasters. It also provides pictures.
West Virginia House of Representatives, The Sago Mine Disaster: A Preliminary Report to Governor Joe
Manchin III, Buckhannon: West Virginia, 2004.
This document is the official report of the Sago Mine Disaster. This document was created by an
investigative team in the West Virginia House of Representatives. The authors ofthis document include
J. Davitt McAteer and other members of the House including the Speaker of the House and the Senate
President. This document gives an in depth look at the accounts of what happened. It also outlines that
the mine explosion and the mine disaster are two very separate things. This report distinguishes how
the explosion turned into a disaster. It also gives an hour by hour account of the explosion and
subsequent rescue attempt.
Western Kentucky University, last updated Jan 12010 (accessed Oct 14 2010) http://www.wku.edu/library/onlinexh/sanders/pages/nation/mining_safety.html This site has many political cartoons concerning mining. This is where the political cartoon concerning the Sago Mine Disaster. WQED Multimedia, Jan 1 2010, (accessed Oct 19 2010) http://www.wqed.orgftv/onq/specials/darr_mine.php. This website provides information and pictures concerning the Darr Mine Disaster. "9 for 9", Daily American. Accessed November 10, 2010. http:Uwww.guecreeknine.com!. This site was made by the Daily American which is Somerset County's Newspaper. It contains short biographies of the nine miners, newspaper articles written by the Daily American about the Quecreek Mine Accident including anniversary articles, timeline of the accident, as well as photos from the event as well as the memorial site. Several Quecreek pictures found in the Appendix were courtesy of this site. Appendix A Photograph of the Darr
Mine rescue team.
Memorial of mine explosion of No.
G and No.8 mines in Monograph,
wv.
Memorial of the Naomi Mine Explosion.
Quecreek - The capsule used to rescue the miners
Quecreek - Sculpture of a miner which sits at
Memorial
Quecreek - Miner being rescued
the
Sago Miners' Memorial
False News Report and the
Correction
Political Cartoon depicting what archaic mine
safety does to miners.
Chilean Mine - Chile President
embraces the first rescued miner.
Chilean Mine - Capsule used to rescue
the miners
Chilean Mine - Miner prays after being rescued