Accident Investigators
The Mines Act of 1842
This Act had five significant provisions:
1. The prohibition of the employment of women underground
“…it shall not be lawful for an Owner of any Mine or Colliery whatsoever to employ any
Female Person within any Mine or Colliery, or permit any Female Person to work or be
therein, for the Purpose of working therein, other than such as were at or before the passing
of the Act employed within such Mine or Colliery; and that from and after Three Calendar
Months from the passing of the Act it shall not be lawful for any Owner of any Mine or
Colliery to employ any Female Person who at the passing of this Act shall be under the Age
of Eighteen Years within any Mine or Colliery, or permit such Person to work or be therein
as aforesaid…”
2.
The prohibition of the employment of boys under 10
“And it be enacted, That from and after the First Day of March one thousand eight hundred
and forty-three it shall not be lawful for any Owner of any Mine or Colliery to employ ay
Male Person under the Age of Ten Years within any Mine or Colliery, or to permit any such
Male Person to work, or be therein for the Purpose of working therein, other than such as at
the passing of this Act shall have attained the Age of Nine Years, and were at or before the
passing of this Act employed within such Mine or Colliery.”
3. The appointment of Inspectors
“And it be enacted, That it shall be lawful for One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of
State, if and when he shall think fit, to appoint any proper Person or Persons to visit and
inspect any Mine or Colliery; and it shall be lawful for every Person so authorized to enter
and examine such Mine or Colliery, and the Works, Buildings, Machinery belonging thereto,
at all Times and Seasons, by Day or by Night, and to make Inquiry touching any Matter
within the Provisions of this Act; and the Owner or Occupiers of such Mines and Collieries,
or their Agents, are hereby required to furnish the Means necessary for such Person or
Persons so appointed to visit and inspect such Mines and Collieries, Works Buildings, and
Machinery; and every Person to be so appointed shall report his Proceedings in the
Execution of the Act in such Manner as may be directed by the Secretary of State; and he
shall in like Manner report the State and Condition of the Persons working in such Mine of
Colliery, and whether or not the Provisions of this Act are properly observed in the Mine or
Colliery which he shall so inspect.”
4. Only men over the age of 15 to be in charge of any winding engines
“And be it enacted, That where there shall be any Entrance to a Mine or Colliery by means
of a vertical Shaft or Pit or Inclined Plane, or where there shall be any Communication
within any Part of a Mine or Colliery to any other Part thereof by a vertical Shaft or Pit or
Inclined Plane, then it shall not be lawful for any Owner of any Such Mine or Colliery to
allow any Person or Persons other than a Male of the Age of Fifteen Years and upwards to
have charge of any Steam Engine or other Engine, Windlass, or Gin, (whether driven or
worked by manual Labour, or any other Power whatsoever,) or to have charge of any Part
of the Machinery, Ropes, Chains, or other Tackle of any such Engine, by or by means of
which Engine, Machinery Ropes, Chains, or other Tackle Persons are brought up or passed
down any such vertical Shaft or Pit or Inclined Plane…”
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Accident Investigators
The Mines Act of 1842 (continued)
5. The prohibition of the payment of wages at, or near public houses.
“…be it therefore enacted, That from and after the Expiration of Three Months from the
passing of this Act no Proprietor or Worker of any Mine or Colliery, or other Person, shall
pay or cause to be paid any Wages or Money in respect of Wages for such Mine or Colliery,
or to any Person whatever entitled to or having Authority or claiming to have Authority to
receive such Wages, at or within any Tavern, Public House, Beer Shop, or other House of
Entertainment, or any Office, Garden, or Place belonging thereto or occupied therewith, but
all Payments in respect of such Wages are hereby strictly prohibited and forbidden to be
made at or within such Places as aforesaid, and all Payments so made are hereby declared
to be of no effect whatever.”
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