Mining Safety Terms

noun a type of gas found in mines that is colorless, odorless, and toxic

• The miners were warned about the presence of blackdamp in the underground tunnels.
• Hey, stay away from that area in the mine, it's full of blackdamp.
• Don't go near that part of the mine, it's filled with blackdamp, dude.
• The toxic atmosphere in the meeting room felt like a cloud of blackdamp hanging over us.

noun a gas, especially methane, found in coal mines and liable to explode upon ignition

• Miners need to be cautious of the presence of firedamp in underground coal mines.
• Hey, watch out for firedamp when you're down in the mine!
• Dude, don't mess around with firedamp in the mines, it's dangerous.
• The tension in the room was like firedamp, ready to explode at any moment.

adjective describing something that is not properly ventilated

• The storage room was unventilated, causing the items inside to gather dust.
• It's so stuffy in here, it feels like an unventilated sauna.
• I can't stand being in this unventilated room, it's making me sweat buckets.
• His mind felt unventilated, as if ideas were trapped and unable to flow freely.