Coal-dust explosions: a continuing menace

An account of the early history of coal-dust explosions in the United Kingd om indicates how the pioneering investigators developed methods of analysin g these disasters as early as 1886. The logic of their conclusions was not readily accepted, but their work led to the development of coal-dust resear ch facilities in the United Kingdom and later worldwide. The progress of le gislation to bring the hazard under control is traced: the early legislatio n, however, produced poor results and coal-dust explosions continued in the United Kingdom after the nationalization of the coal industry. The work of the working party set up by the Coal Industry National Consultative Counci l in 1959 is reviewed; its final report, produced in 1967, appears to have been a turning-paint in the United Kingdom experience of coal-dust explosio ns. An examination of coal-dust explosions in recent years in Germany, the U.S. A., Australia and southern and South Africa demonstrates the continuing rel uctance of coal-mining industries worldwide to accept the importance of coa l dust as a fuel for mine explosions. Some of the actions that are necessar y if coal-dust explosions are to be avoided in future are listed.