Geology, Technology and Human Behaviour

This book will look at fixed working conditions, technology and human behaviour as reasons for differing accident rates in Scottish coal mines from 1877 to 1887. If they were all legislated under the same law, why were there differences in accident mortality within coal mining districts? The geology of a mine is a fixed factor; it cannot be altered, only worked around and controlled. Special Rules should in theory allow for mines adversely affected by geology to be on a level playing field. However, evidence suggests they are not. When it comes to varying levels of technology, specific accident categories are examined, the link between company size and the level of technology implemented is discussed. Although these are both significant factors in explaining why there are differing accident rates in mines, they do not provide a definitive answer. The overriding influence is human behaviour. The carelessness of workers exacerbated both existing geological conditions and technological differences. It can therefore be determined that the overriding issue in Scottish coal mines was in fact the recklessness of the miners themselves.