Talk:Blackdamp

Comments
I've removed the following text from the disasters section: "On the 14th October, 1913 The Universal Colliery in Senghenydd, South Wales suffered the worst mining disaster in British history, an explosion caused by black damp was responsible for the death of 439 miners."

From my admittedly limited knowledge, frankly supplemented by not only this very article but others on wikipedia, blackdamp would not cause an explosion, it being nitrogen, co2 and water vapour. Not only that but the other articles on the disaster list firedamp as the cause of the explosion with the aftermath compounded by effects of afterdamp. I don't therefore think there's any place for text on the Universal Colliery disaster here in the blackdamp section. --90.213.124.44 (talk) 20:42, 17 December 2013 (UTC)

Detection and countermeassures
"Historically, the domestic canary was used as an early warning against carbon monoxide." sure, but if this also applies to carbon dioxide it should be stated, else it's irrelevant. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.233.137.72 (talk) 00:51, 11 January 2024 (UTC)

The Miners' Safety Lamps are for detecting and preventing explosion of firedamp. I am not aware they detect blackdamp.

Early miners would detect blackdamp thru headaches, swollen bellies and in greater concentration the fact their candles would be extinguished; plenty of testimony on this to the 1842 Commission on Children in Mines.