Editorial: Mine safety needs research

Monday, Jan. 9, 2006 | 7:43 a.m.

The 12 coal miners killed this week when an explosion trapped them 260 feet underground, and about 2 1/2 miles away from the mine's entrance, were each outfitted with a supply of oxygen as part of a kit known as a self-rescuer. The 5- to 8-pound kits contained enough oxygen to last an hour, more or less, depending upon the weight and age of the miner and how much he could conserve energy. The rescue operation, however, lasted nearly 42 hours.

One miner apparently died as the result of the explosion. One survived, but oxygen deprivation has left him in critical condition. Early reports suggest the other 11 miners died from carbon monoxide poisoning, although the official cause of death has yet to be determined.

Self-rescuers vary in capability, with heavier models (generally rejected by miners because they inhibit their movements) able to contain four hours worth of oxygen. Even these models, however, would not likely save a miner trapped by a serious accident. Rescue operations in such accidents usually take days.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Thursday that the obvious limitations of the devices have spurred efforts to make them smaller and capable of carrying more oxygen. It quoted one industry official as saying the efforts have not succeeded because they have been like trying to put 10 pounds into a 5-pound bag.

But the paper also reported that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has not given up on the idea of providing miners with enough oxygen to improve their chances of surviving a serious accident. The agency has asked the National Technology Transfer Center in Wheeling, W.Va., to "explore the possibility of using technology from other industries to make self-rescuers smaller and more powerful," the Post-Gazette reported.

Through contractual arrangements, the National Technology Transfer Center provides private industries with access to federally funded research. This enables what is discovered in federal and university laboratories to be developed into new products. To partially compensate for its tax cuts, the Bush administration has cut this year's federal research and development budget. Nevertheless, we believe the institute's request is well worth a try.

Many products once never even imagined -- laptop computers, for example -- are now common. The federal government should do all that it can to help find a way to better protect miners in the event of accidents. We have to believe that conveniently equipping them with oxygen well in excess of an hour's supply is within technology's grasp, if only we put our minds, and money, into such an effort.