It is sometimes necessary to resort to extremes in order to call attention to
something that is pertinent to safety in mining. When some of the experts
in occupational safety talk about this topic, they usually refer to a
'regulation' established by the Romans which stated that, due to the
health hazards, usually death, no Romans but only slaves should work in
mining. Since the time of the Roman Empire, a lot of ground has been covered
in the field of mine safety. Nowadays, it can be said that occupational
safety is being seriously addressed, with the result that the number of
mining accidents has reduced dramatically, fatalities in this industry are
less frequent, and the rate of accidents compared with other activities,
such as construction or fanning, is low. This achievement has been possible initially through government
legislation and by procedures established by the mining companies
themselves. However, the dilemma for government is whether to regulate
and if so, how much. It is pleasing to observe that most companies are
establishing working procedures which conform with new government
legislation, placing strong emphasis on the duty of care for mine
employees. There will always be some regulatory aspects of legislation,
and perhaps the best example of this is in the use of mine hoists where
there are no international or Australian standards, and the regulations
applied are of an empirical nature that err on the side of safety.