Colliery Occupations

Airway Repairer

Maintaining airways in proper state of repair to ensure proper ventilation in the pit

Assistant Collier

Assists collier on stall heading work and conveyor faces

Auxiliary Fanman

Attending to underground auxiliary fan

Banksman

Responsible for the control of shaft top and signaling cages for coal, men and materials

Banksman’s Assistant

Assisting banksman on pit top: in charge of additional deck where multi-deck winding is carried out and responsible for giving auxiliary signals to the banksman

Baths Attendant

General duties in pithead baths under supervision of baths superintendent

Blacksmith

Semi-skilled blacksmith engaged on general smithy work of a minor nature either with or without supervision

Boiler smith

Competent worker qualified by experience, training and/or apprenticeship engaged on the construction and/or repair of boilers

Borer

Drilling shot holes for blasting or bursting or water infusion in stone or coal

Brakesman

Controlling haulage ropes on self acting incline

Brazier

Jointing of metals using brazing compound

Bridge Operator

Operating bridge connecting cage with the shaft sidings at pit bottom or intermediate landings

Burner

Cutting metal by means of acetylene or electric burner

Cage Hands

Assisting in loading on to or drawing off from the cage at the pit bottom or intermediate landings

Carpenter

General joinery woodwork of all kinds

Carter

General carting duties and driving horse drawn vehicles

Catch Knocker

Operating cages at pit bottom or intermediate landings

Clipper

Attaching or detaching drams or tubs to endless ropes

Coal Crusher Attendant

Operating coal crushing plant

Coal Cutter Assistant

Assisting the coal cutter operator immediately behind the machine; working under the direction of the coal cutterman.

Coal Cutter Mover

Moving & spinning or turning cutting machine.

Coal Inspector

Supervising the filling of coal to avoid unnecessary dirt being fined with the coal.

Coal Stower

Loading hand picked coal into wagons by hand

Collier

Getting and filling coal on to conveyor or into trams; setting necessary supports, on either machine cut or hand got faces; hewing coal by hand got methods; engaged on stall work and responsible for taking forward rippings, etc., carrying out any operation in connection with a mechanized heading or long-wall face; hewing coal with pneumatic picks; driving a close place or opening out on pick work in coal; developing headings in coal; preparatory to opening out stalls; filling coal into trams in hand filled and drawn system; filling coal on the face.

Compressed Air Hand

In charge or underground compressors, operating and maintaining portable compressors; attending to the running of compressed motors

Compressed Air Inspector

Testing air flows, meter readings, checking and reporting on compressed air leakages

Compressor Attendant

In charge if inbye portable compressor at the face

Conveyor Loader

Loading coal delivered by conveyors into drams at loading points

Conveyor Mover

Dismantling and re-erecting a face conveyor to a new position

Conveyor Mover

Erecting, extending, dismantling and re-erecting conveyors in new positions

Conveyor Operator

Operating the controls of the face conveyor, operating starting switches and cleaning debris from gear heads and gate receiving end

Conveyor Operator (surface)

Operating controls of conveyor, operating starting switches and cleaning debris from gear heads and/or tension ends

Conveyor Plough Attendant

Cleaning out spillage ploughed off return belt where open type structure is used; cleaning out tension end of face belt, putting coal so obtained onto the belt

Drift Mouth Attendant

Responsible for control of drift mouth and signaling for coal, materials and men

Driller

Drilling holes for blasting or bursting

Dry Cleaner Operator

General work connected with dry cleaning plant

Dust Sampler

Taking samples of roadway and/or air dust for statutory analysis and records

Electrician

Competent electrician qualified by experience or training and/or apprenticeship, engaged on the installation, maintenance and repair and testing of electrical equipment apparatus and machinery.

Electro Mechanic

Competent electrician and competent fitter qualified by training engaged on the combined duties of maintenance, repair, construction and installation of mechanical appliances or equipment, repair and testing of electrical equipment, apparatus and machinery

Endless Rope Haulage Engineman

Driving haulage engine operated by electricity, compressed air or steam and transmitting power to an endless haulage rope by means of a surge wheel for the transfer of dirt, coal, materials and men

Endless Rope Haulage Engineman (surface)

Driving haulage engine operated by electricity, compressed air or steam for the transport of coal, dirt, materials and men on the surface

Exploratory Borer

Exploratory Boring

Face Haulage

Haulage by pony or mechanical means at the facer

Fanman

In charge of a ventilation fan at the face.

Fire Prevention Man

In charge of underground fire fighting equipment and general supervision of fire fighting apparatus underground

First Aid Attendant

Person primarily engaged on First Aid duties

Fitter

Competent fitter qualified by experience of training and/an apprenticeship, engaged on maintenance, repair, construction assembly or installation of mechanical appliances or equipment.

Fitter (semiskilled)

Semi-skilled fitter engaged on minor repairs and maintenance of mechanical appliances or equipment either with or without supervision.

Gardener

General gardening work including planting, hedging, fencing, etc

Gas Emission Borer

Boring holes for the purpose of releasing gas from the strata

General Worker

Performing work of a semi-skilled character which can be done only by a worker who has acquired a degree of skill necessary for the particular job either by training or experience

General Worker (semi-skilled)

Performing work of a semi-skilled character which can be done only by a worker who has acquired the degree of skill necessary for the particular job either by training or experience.

General Worker (unskilled)

Performing work of a general character which can be done by any worker without special skill or experience for the particular job taken.

Granary attendant

Employed at granary preparing fodder for horses

Gummer

Cleaning out cuttings, cleaning up gummings, cleaning up holings and inserting gibs or nogs

Hard Ground Man

Driving hard headings or stone drifts

Haulage Hand

Operations connected with movement of tubs or drams

Head Horsekeeper

In charge of horse and ponies underground

Hooker On

Attaching or detaching drams to or from haulage ropes at the face by lashing chains, clips, shackles, etc.

Horse Driver

In charge of horse or pony on horse haulage: in charge of horse hauling tubs or drams

Incline Winder

Operating underground winding engine to haul a carriage on which drams or tubs are loaded to transport men and materials to different levels

Joiner

General joinery woodwork of all kinds

Landsales Attendant

Responsible for reception, loading, trimming and dispatch of coal from landsales

Loco Cleaner

Employed in loco sheds cleaning boilers; cleaning, filling sandboxes; lighting loco fires and getting up steam in preparation to moving out

Loco Driver (underground)

Driving underground locomotives for haulage of coal, materials, etc., including men

Loco Driver

Driving locomotives in and about colliery premises as well as main line travelling and long hauls on colliery private lines, hauling either men or materials

Loco Guard

In charge of a train drawn by locomotive for transport of coal, materials, etc., including men

Loco Road Layer

Laying and maintaining tracks used by locomotives

Main or Direct Rope Haulage Engineman

Driving a direct rope haulage engine operated by electricity, compressed air or steam for the transport of dirt, coal, materials and men

Main or Direct Rope Haulage Engineman (surface)

Driving a direct rope haulage engine operated by electricity, compressed air or steam for the transport of coal, dirt, materials and men on the surface

Main or Tail Rope Haulage Engineman

Driving haulage engine operated by electricity, compressed air or steam and transmitting power to two or more drums for the transport of dirt, coal, materials and men

Main Pump Attendant

In charge of main installation of underground pumps

Main Slant Engineman

Operating main slant or drift engine for raising or lowering men, coal and materials to and from the surface

Man-hole Maker

Person engaged in making refuge holes

Mason/Bricklayer

Laying bricks, stone or pre-fabricated blocks, building to specification and maintaining fabric

Moulder

Making moulds and preparing castings

Office Cleaner

Cleaning of offices

Onsetter

Responsible for the control of pit bottom or intermediate landings and signalling cages for men and materials

Onsetter's Assistant

Assisting onsetter, in charge of additional deck where multi-deck winding is carried on, and responsible for giving auxiliary signals to onsetter

Packer

Building packs on longwall faces or strip packer

Pattern Maker

Making patterns in wood for bras and iron castings

Pick Sharpener

Sharpening, grinding or tipping picks, drills or bits

Pipe Shifter

Maintaining and extending pipe ranges at the face; dismantling and erecting in new position compressed air and/or water pipes at the face.

Pipeman

Maintaining and extending pipe ranges; dismantling and erecting in new position compressed air and/or water pipes

Platelayer

Laying and maintaining railway tracks

Pony Trainer

Training ponies

Ripper

Ripping or brushing Maintaining roadways to make height, erecting supports; building roadside packs; boring shot holes for bring down the roof; dinting roadways. Getting, loading and timbering; getting coal by hand

Road Layer

Laying and maintaining dram or tub rail and tracks

Roadman

Maintenance and repairs of haulage tracks on the surface

Rollerman

Installing and maintaining rollers, pulleys and sheaves on haulage roads

Rope Changer

Marshalling, coupling and uncoupling drams or tubs and changing ropes from one journey to another on partings, pass-byes and shunts

Rope Runner

Accompanying sets of drams or tubs on rope haulage for purpose of changing rope or ropes at end of run

Ropeman

Splicing, capping, maintaining and installing haulage ropes

Salvage Man

Recovering supports and equipment from abandoned roads

Screenhand

Removing foreign matters from coal on picking belts; picking dirt or various qualities of coal on picking belts or screens; breaking coal on picking belts or screens

Screens Engineman

Attending to motor or engine driving screens or operating screening machinery

Semi-skilled Carpenter

Capable of only undertaking and engaged upon rough types of joinery work

Semi-skilled Fitter

Semi-skilled fitter engaged on minor repairs and maintenance of mechanical appliances or equipment either with or without supervision

Shackler

Coupling and uncoupling drams by means of shackles

Shaftsman

Examining, maintaining and repairing shafts and shaft fittings

Shaftsman’s Assistant

Assisting shaftsman in shaft repairs and maintenance – work of a general semi-skilled character

Shoeing Smith

Engaged on the making and /or fitting of horse shoes

Shunter

Marshalling traffic; coupling and uncoupling wagons and operating switches in the circulation of railway wagons on the colliery surface

Shuttle Car Loader

Loading coal onto a shuttle car

Shuttle Car Attendant

Assisting shuttle car driver

Shuttle Car Driver

Driving a shuttle car, in charge of shuttle cars conveying coal, etc

Sinker

Shaft sinking; sinking of shafts for coal and man winding, pumps, etc; shift sinking or deepening; sinking staple shafts

Slusher Operator

Operating mechanical slusher for loading dirt on ripping; scouring drifting gobs or coal headings.

Spagger

Controlling tub and dram movement by use of spraggs, lockers and scotches

Squeezer Operator

Operating squeezer to control movement of tubs or drams

Staple Pit Banksman

Generally assisting pit banksman on staple pit top and responsible for giving auxiliary signals to banksman

Staple Pit Cage Hand

Assisting in loading to or drawing off from cage at staple pit bottom

Staple Pit Catch Knocker

Operating cage catchers at pit bottom

Staple Pit Onsetter

Responsible for control of staple pit bottom and signalling cages for men and materials

Staple Pit Onsetter Assistant

Generally assisting Staple pit onsetter and responsible for giving auxiliary signals to onsetter

Staple Pit Winder

Operating underground winding engine for shaft deepening

Steel Straightener

Straightening steel supports, using hand or power driven machine

Steel Supports Straightener

Straightening steel props and bars with a straightening machine at the face.

Subsidiary Pump Attendant

In charge of underground pump or pumps

Sumper

Cleaning sumps and water lodgments and attending to suctions

Supplies Transporter

Engaged on the supplying and handling of materials, supports, plant, etc to and from sections of the pit excluding normal haulage operations

Supports Checker

Checking of supplies of supports to the face, checking supplies and recovery of supports, checking bars and coal props on a face to avoid loss.

Timber Cutter

Preparing timber for cog making. Cutting props the length required on the conveyor face

Timberer

Setting or changing supports on the face; timbering in front or behind the coal cutter.

Tinsmith

Making and repairing tin ware

Tracker

Preparing tracks for coal cutting machine, preparing face for coal cutting operations, cleaning up the cutter tracks in front of the coal cutter.

Train guard (ropes)

Accompanying man riding train on rope haulage

Trainee Supervisor

Person appointed under the training regulations to supervise and instruct at the face new recruits in coalface operations.

Tub Tippler Operator

Operating coal or dirt tub tipper

Wagon Tippler Operator

Operating railway wagon tippler

Wagon Trimmer

Responsible for the proper loading of wagons; leveling coal on wagons; examination and top trimming of coal in wagons before

Washery Attendant

Generally semi-skilled duties connected with washing processes at washery under supervision

Washery Hand

General work at a washery

Washery Operator

Working at a washery under the direct instruction of washery foreman or chargeman in the operation of a washing plant; controlling valves and machinery and quantity of coal entering and leaving washery

Wasteman

Withdrawing and recovering supports from the waste and/or building packs, chocks, etc., in waste gob or goaf.

Watchman

Responsible for the security of colliery premises

Water Infusion Man

Responsible for apparatus and infusion of water at the face

Waterman

Keeping water courses clear

Wheelwright

General joinery woodwork of all kinds

Winder (shaft deepening)

Operating underground winding engine for shaft deepening

Winding Engineman

Operating shaft winding engine for raising and lowering of men, coal and materials

Workshop Cleaner

Cleaning workshops, engine rooms, etc

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