Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 19 June 1964:
Vol. 144. no. 3625, pp. 1447 - 1449
DOI: 10.1126/science.144.3625.1447
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Coal Mine Disasters: Frequency by Month

Raymond F. Boyer 1

1 Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan

Major coal mine disasters (five or more fatalities per accident) in the United States over the past 150 years have tended to occur primarily in the winter months from November through April. Minor accidents (zero to four fatalities per accident) occur at a fairly uniform rate throughout the year. This peak for major disasters is ascribed to effect of barometric minima on the methane content of mine air, to the effect of dry polar air masses in reducing the moisture content of coal dust, and, possibly, to cyclic fatigue of rock structures from cycling barometric pressure. Obvious safety practices are suggested.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Coal Mine Explosions: Seasonal Trends.
F. N. Kissell, A. E. Nagel, and M. G. Zabetakis (1973)
Science 179, 891-892
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)