Historical Summary of Coal Mine Explosions in the United States, 1959-81

This Bureau of Mines publication presents investigators' reports of all major coal mine explosion disasters that occurred in the United States from 1959 through November 1981, along with a brief analysis of common factors in these disasters. The report reviews the federal mine health and safety acts of 1969 and 1977, and discusses how implementation of these acts has reduced the number of both fatalities and disasters. Current Bureau health and safety research is summarized, and an appendix lists most of the ignitions and explosions in the period of record.