Thousands of Arizona copper miners were maimed or killed by accidents in underground mine workings during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Jay Spehar will present “Falling Rock and the Rise of Health and Safety Professionalism in the Globe-Miami Mining District, 1880-1960,” a study of the types of accidents that workers suffered in the underground workings at Globe and Miami for his First Friday program, Friday, April 5, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum, 150 N. Plaza Circle,  in Miami.

Spehar’s presentation will include analysis of accidents and fatalities and examine the creation of a unique collaborative mine rescue station within the district. This will include the cost of accidents, the rise of safety programs and the development of a worker’s compensation system. He will also investigate the evolution of regulatory oversight and the development of worker safety standards and practices in the Arizona copper mining industry.

First Friday programs are co-hosted by Gila County Historical Museum in Globe and Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum in Miami. These programs are always free.