# Fire boss

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_boss
> Source revision: 1308356996
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Person in charge of mine safety}}
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A '''fire boss''' is a person employed at a [mine](/source/mining) or state certified official, responsible for examining a mine for dangers, particularly [explosive](/source/explosive), poisonous or suffocating gases. Usually the fire boss is the first person to enter a [mine](/source/Mining), to verify its safety, before a shift crew enters. It may also loosely refer to a foreman or shift manager for the [miner](/source/miner)s.

==Origins==
In the early days of mining the fire boss would wear thick clothing, usually soaked in water, and walk through the mine with a lit [candle](/source/candle) affixed to a long stick. If there were pockets of explosive gases the candle would ignite them, often not sparing the boss on the other end.  Less dangerous methods are used today such as pumping air into the mine to dilute the levels of dangerous gases (see [explosive limit](/source/explosive_limit)).

==External links==
* [http://www.msha.gov/century/rescue/rstart.asp US Department of Labor site - "Mine safety"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060621163244/http://www.msha.gov/century/rescue/rstart.asp |date=2006-06-21 }}

Category:Mine safety

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fire boss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_boss) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_boss?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.