NEW SAFETY PRACTICES IN INDIAN MINING INDUSTRY
Several safety practices are being
currently introduced in Indian mining industry under the guidance
of the Director General of Mine Safety. Stating this in a written
reply in the Lok Sabha today, the Labour Minister Shri Sharad
Yadav said that the practices are new to Indian mining industry
He said among the new safety practices is roof bolting as a method
of support being introduced in all coal mines to reduce accidents
due to fall of roof. Shri Yadav said that blasting from surface
for hard roof management during extraction by longwall method
has been introduced in some mines. He said in order to have better
control of fire in mines application of a special sealent has
been introduced to prevent breathing of air into fire area. The
sealant has been developed by the Central Mining Research Institute.
Shri Yadav added that the concept of risk assessment and preparation
of safety management plan is being introduced with the objective
of general anticipation and prevention of accidents. The Labour
Minister said that the use of geophysical methods of proving thickness
of barriers against waterlogged workings is being tried while
the use of latest survey instruments of surveying and preparation
of plan has been started. He also informed the House digitisation
of mine plans has been started. Shri Yadav said that automatic
fire extinguishing devices in heavy earth moving machinery would
soon be introduced and wet drilling arrangement with blast hole
drills would be used to reduce airborne dust. The Labour Minister
said that the government is not considering a new mine safety
policy. However, in order to strengthen the safety statutes, amendments
are carried out from time to time as and when need arises.
