Safety Engineering

Dr. Ramakrishna Bag

Department of Civil Engineering
NIT Rourkela
Safety in Mines
Mine refers to excavation or system of excavations
made for the purpose of, or in connection with, the
extraction, wholly or substantially by involving
persons working below ground, of
(a) minerals either in their natural state or in solution or
suspension or as
(b) mineral products.

In normal operating condition

there are persons at work below ground
plant or equipment is in operation at the mine
the operation of sinking a shaft or driving an outlet is
being undertaken at the mine
Mines can be hazardous environment which
causes
Flood
Fire
Explosion
Collapse

These hazardous conditions has the potential to

simultaneously affect a large number of people.
Accident statistics in mines (2008 2011)

Source: http://www.coal.nic.in
 Role of mine operators
Mine operators should give consideration to the following
Defining and implementing preventative, protective and
mitigating measures for the control of the risks arising from
major mining hazards.
Inspection and maintenance of the mine.
Design, operation and maintenance of mechanical and
electrical plant.
Action required to ensure staff awareness of hazards, and
compliance with the mine emergency procedures.
Identify record and follow-up of corrective or improvement
actions.
 Should have control of abnormal situations,
including emergencies.
Identify training needs, provision of training and
assessment and evaluation of its effectiveness.
Provision of resources, including human
resources for development and implementation.
Co-ordinating the implementation and reporting
to senior management.
 Steps for Disaster Prevention in mines

Inundation/ Flooding:
Conduct Safety Audit
Trials of Geo-physical methods for detection
of water bodies,
adequate preparation before monsoon
season etc.
 Fire in mines:
Checking the panel system is in working
condition - so that in case of fire that can be
isolated immediately.
construction of isolation stopping
strengthening of existing isolation stopping and
use of fire retardant sealant
use modern gadgets for early detection fire/
spontaneous heating etc.
Use Gas Chromatograph for analyzing mine air
more accurately.
 Explosion:
Early Gas detection through various
modern gadgets such as sensors.
Continuous on-line computer based Gas
monitoring should be used for highly gassy
and fiery mines and
erection of explosion proof stopping.
Emergency Response Systems
Emergency Action Plans (EAP) of each mine should be
reviewed from time to time and corrective action should
be taken.
Mock Rehearsals should be conducted for examining the
efficacy of Mine-wise Emergency Action Plan.
Demarcating Escape Routes: An exercise for demarcating
Escape Routes in underground mines, on plans as well as
below ground by fluorescent paint, display of the same at
the entry to the mine.
State of the art rescue apparatus such as Self Contained
Breathing Apparatus should be in place.
Rescue Personnel should be properly trained.
 Reduction of Roof/Side falls accident: Roof / Side
fall accident is one of the major causes of fatal accident in
underground mines. Priority should be given for ensuring
roof support management through:
Geo-mechanical properties of overlying rocks should be studied
and support systems should be scientifically designed on the basis
of Rock-Mass-Rating (RMR)of overlying strata.
Mechanized drilling by roof bolting machines should be used.
Mechanism for detecting the impending load on roof should be in
place.
Replacement of grouting material from cement to fast setting resin
capsules.
Strata Monitoring Instrumentation should be used.
Monitoring the status of safety through the
following agencies
Workmens Inspectors
Safety Committee at mine level
Area Level Bipartite/Tripartite Committees
Bipartite/Tripartite Safety Committees
Standing Committee on Safety in Mines
National Conferences on Safety in Mines
Different Parliamentary Standing Committee