Details of accidents in any industry are hard to find before the mid 19th
century. Its only when health and safety legislation is introduced that any
reliable statistics were collected, even then they can be misleading. Local
newspapers can be a useful source of accident reports but i have found in
the course of my own study of mining fatalities in the Halifax area that not
all accidents are reported.The other problem with local newspapers is the
sheer number that you have to trawl through to get any information. Before
1830 there are only regional or national newspapers and so small local
stories again do not make the press.
Reports of accidents and working conditions included in various parlimentry
enquieries etc have to be used with great caution. As with any politics
there is always a hidden adgenda and the figures are usually presented to
make a statement. I is very dangerous to make the asumption that coal mining
was naturally a very hazadous occupation, other industries such as textiles
had higher mortalty rates amoungst workers.
Martin Roe
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