Present Working Conditions

Thankfully, things have changed a great deal as safety standards have improved over the centuries.

Hardhats that protect the head from falling debris are mandatory. Steel-capped work boots are required before anyone sets foot in the mine. Battery-powered lamps are now used to prevent flammable gases from igniting. Tunnels are supported by strong load-bearing beams to better resist cave-ins. And air handling units pump breathable air in and toxic fumes out of mine shafts.

In terms of accident response, first aid kits and clean water are used by people who undergo regular training. And for those who have suffered serious accidents, a helicopter or aeroplane can be made available to airlift them to the nearest hospital.

Reporting of accidents has also had a marked improvement. Thanks to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, or RIDDOR, all work injuries need to be reported. Following this, the documentation for injuries now includes details of the accident and may also include the actions and diagnosis of the attending first aid personnel.

This in turn provides the supporting paperwork required in filing a workplace accident compensation claim, something not available to coal miners centuries earlier.

And in addition to this, solicitors are available to represent injured coal miners as they go through the process of claiming for compensation, again, something that was not widely accepted centuries earlier.

Yes, things certainly have changed in the workplace. Thankfully, these changes have benefitted the workers, like coal miners, as they go about their high risk jobs.