Published in the March 2010 Coal USA Magazine
Gone are the live flames atop mine caps, missing safety glasses, and sub-par foot protection. They have long been replaced by advances such as reflective tape, gas monitors, better tool design and an increased awareness of underground health issues such as back injuries and pneumoconiosis.
It has been about 80 years since this underground miner was captured on film, twisting and turning to load coal into a cumbersome, inefficient coal car to be taken to the surface. As today’s miners continue to work hard for zero fatalities, it is helpful to know that it is scenes such as this – along with the terrible incidents, injuries and deaths over the years – that have helped us learn safer, healthier work practices.