Comprehensive and
detailed provisions for prevention and control of fire in coal
mines are contained in Chapter XI of the Coal Mines Regulations,
1957. As regard the factories, the requirements for precaution
against fire are covered under Section 38 of the factories Act,
1948 and Model Rules framed by Directorate General Factory Advice
Service and Labour Institutes. These provisions are considered
sufficient.
The main reasons
for the occurrence of fire accidents in Coal Mines are:
- Old fires spreading to a part
of the mine from another part or from an adjoining mine.
- Self-combustion of coal.
- Overheating of electrical
cable/equipments.
The out break of
fire is prevented by sealing off the area under fire. In addition
to this the management of coal mines are advised to take the
following remedial measures:
- Proper ventilation in development
galleries and headings.
- Keeping old galleries and
return airways cleaned of fallen coal.
- Filling in of cracks developed
on surface due to subsidence to prevent leakage of air to
sealed areas.
- Proper production planning
so that extraction of coal is completed within the incubation
period.
- Timely detection of leakage
of air through isolation stopping in sealed-off areas.
As a result of
above mentioned remedial measures there have been no fatal accidents
due to fire during the last two years in coal mines.
This information
was given by the Minister of State for Labour Shri Vijay Goel
in the Lok Sabha today.
