PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL-FACTORS IN COAL-MINING ACCIDENTS

Leigh, J., Mulder, H.B., Want, G.V., Farnsworth, N.P. and Morgan, G.G., 1990. Personal and environmental factors in coal mining accidents. Journal of Occupational Accidents, 13: 233-250. Using data from an existing industry wide accident/incident reporting system, this cross-sectional study describes the 16700 non-fatal lost-time accidental injuries that occurred in the N.S.W. coal mining industry in the 2 1 2 year period between 1 July 1986 and 31 December 1988. Annual incidence rates in various exposure groups were as follows: underground mine face workers 638 1000, underground mine non-face workers 411 1000, underground mine surface workers 199 1000, open cut mine workers 164 1000. Distribution of accidents by age, work experience and occupation of the injured employee, nature of the injury, part of the body injured, type of accident causing the injury, activity undertaken at the time of the accident, type of the shift, time into the shift, agency of the accident, agency of the injury, equipment involved in the accident, place of the accident, compensation cost of the injury and number of lost working days are reported. The relative importance of various environmental and personal factors is discussed. © 1990.