MINE SAFETY- LEARNING FROM INDUSTRIES

Management of Mine Safety in India

• Governed by Prescriptive Legislation• DGMS – Regulatory Authority as per statute• Indian mining law has strong legislation base,

which has evolved over a period of more than one hundred years

• Way forward is the system of Self – regulation based on hazard identifications and risk assessments

Evolution of safety legislation in india• 1890 - International Labour Conference in Berlin for

improvement in the working conditions of miners – 1st trigger for mine statute in India

• 1895 – GOI initiated 1st step to frame legislation for mine inspection

• 1901 – The 1st Mine Act – enacted• 1923 – The Mines Act 1923 – superseded earlier Act• 1952 - The Mines Act 1952 – superseded earlier Act• 2010 – Bill for amendment of the Mine Act -1952

placed before Rajya Sabha – under scrutiny of Standing Committee of Labour

Improvement in safety in CIL

1975-84 1985-94 1995-04 2005-11#

Av fatalities 170 147 103 77.2857142857143

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

150

170170

147

103 77.2857142857143

10 years average fatalities

Fata

lities

1975-84 1985-94 1995-04 2005-11#

Av. Serious Injuries 1172 565 520 322

100

300

500

700

900

1100

1300 1172

565 520322

Av. Serious Injuries

Av.S

erio

us In

jurie

s

Improvement in safety in CIL

Over the years the safety performance in CIL has beenimproved and it is attributed to the following reasons: • Collectively commitment shown by the management,

workers and regulators • Technological advances in the field of mining methods

and use of safer mining machineries.• Continuous improvement knowledge and skill of our

workforce through imparting quality training and conscientious safety awareness drive

• Strong oversight and assistances from various quarters

Challenges Ahead

• To solve problems related to increasing depth• To Solve Strata Control problems of deeper UG coal

mines.• To solve problems related to ventilation of deeper UG

Coal Mines• To Provide apt solutions for Mine Environment

Monitoring• To Solve Problems of Dump Slope Stability • To Provide adequate infrastructure for operation and

maintenance of Large Capacity HEMM

Challenges Ahead

• To Create Compatible infrastructure such as standard all weather haul roads in Opencast Mines

• To Monitor and Control Mass Blasting and Ground Vibration Problems

• To install system for Dust & Noise monitoring• To Prepare and Implement a requirement based

Training and HR Capacity Building Plan • To Provide for an effective Emergency Response

Mechanism at Mines

Suggested thrust area for UG Mining

• All new virgin underground mines are to be planned with high degree of mechanization

• Large scale introduction of mass production technologies like long wall mining technology, continuous mining technology etc.

• Non mechanized existing mines to be quickly converted to mechanized mines through adoption of SDL/LHD and mechanized drilling for roof bolting

Suggested thrust area for UG Mining

• Scientific strata and environment monitoring; • Risk assessment and mitigation plans;• Faster development of infrastructure for UG mines-

Mechanized shaft and incline drivages• Introduction of quick setting foam stopping for

isolating fire• Introduction of notch cutter for speedy recess cutting

for construction of sectionalization & isolation stooping

• Digitization of mine plan

Suggested thrust area for UG Mining

• Introduction of man riding systems in large UG mines where travelling is arduous

• Adoption of telecommunications in UG mines• Air-conditioning systems for mine ventilation,

particularly the deep mines of more than 400m depth or where temperature can not be brought down to 30 degree Celsius with conventional ventilation system

• Creation of machinery manufacturing facilities to support UG mechanization

Suggested thrust area for OC Mining

LIMITING FACTORS OF OC PLANNING• Apart from macro-economic factors including

business environment– Depth of reserves– Stripping Ratio – Extent of surface Area / lands for coal mining– Surface constraints including diversion of forest

land– Availability of land for dumping

Suggested thrust area for OC Mining

FUTURE OC MINING• Deep opencast mining • Extending and deepening existing OC mines • Use of more number of surface miner for Coal

as well as OB removal• Use of more higher capacity of HEMM• High wall mining to access exposed coal

resources in final opencast batters & thin coal seams

Suggested thrust area for OC Mining

THRUST AREA OF OC MINING• Conservation of reserves- designing of large

size pits and amalgamation of adjacent mines for extracting locked up coal in batters and barriers;

• Scientific approach for designing pit slopes and dump slopes with appropriate monitoring measures;

• Large scale adoption of in pit crushing and conveying of coal and OB

Suggested thrust area for OC Mining

THRUST AREA OF OC MINING• Standardization of HEMM for various pit

capacities• Land reclamation and mine closure plans with

monitoring mechanism• Application of IT for traffic management,

inventory, maintenance and safety such as GPS based OITDS

Experience learned from recent mine disaster

ANJAN HILL DISASTER – 06.05.10, Fatalities - 14• Probable cause - Firedamp explosion caused by

spontaneous heating of coal• Lesson learnt– developed potholes to be filled at the earliest– Never allow coal dust to be accumulated in UG– Regular inspection of surface over depillerd areas

for early detection of cracks & potholes – special attention to be paid in case of hilly terrain

– Continuous monitoring of mine environment where early sign of heating is detected

Thank you