Subject Name: Occupational Health and General Safety Subject Code: 15MN742

Module 1

Introduction

SAFETY CONFERENCE AND THEIR IMPACT

Recommendations Of The First Conference On Safety In Mines

A. General
1. All persons taking part in the direction or management of a mine should carry their respective
share of responsibility. The manager should be given a reasonably free hand in managing the
mine.
2. The manager should be assisted by well-trained staff and should be reasonably sure of having
his instructions carried out. He should get full co-operation from the workers in connection with
all
matters relating to safety.
B. General Technical Measures
1. The Regulations should be more specific about the standards of ventilation.
2. To improve the standards of track-laying, all track in the mine should be placed under the
charge of a suitable qualified official. Similarly, the supply of tubs should be in charge of a
competent person.
3. The precautions relating to the use of electricity in mines should be incorporated in the Mines
Regulations. For this purpose 'the code of practice relating to the prevention of accients due to
electricity underground in coal mines' adopted by the Meeting of the I.L.O. Experts should be
taken into consideration.

BA. Danger of inundation

1. The standard of survey should be improved. A Senior Surveyor's Certificate should be
instituted. All correlation surveys, surveys of mines before abandonment and check-surveys of
all
underground workings once in every 5 years, should be carried out by such surveyors.
2. Standards of accuracy of plans of different types may be prescribed.
3. A Water Danger Plan should be prepared in respect of all underground workings showing all
reservoirs of water lying within 60m of any workings.
4. Construction of water-dams should be carried out under the direction of a suitably qualified
senior member of supervisory staff.

BB. Enforcement of new regulations etc.

1. A realistic view should be, taken about the enforcement of new provisions of regulations.
Sufficient time must be given to the management -and to the workmen, where necessary -to
come
up to new standards.
2. Where provision has been made regarding the laying down of standards etc., this may be done
in due course of time.
3. The new regulations are generally enough for the present and, except for recommendations
made here, should be generally left unaltered. The existing machinery of Mining Boards is
adequate for dealing with any suggestions for further changes therein.
CA. The problem of Inflammable Gas (in deep coal mines)
1. There is need for greater awareness of the dangers of inflammable gas in general.
2. Greater attention should be paid to 'advance planning of ventilation from the very inception of
a project. The methods of work in such mines need special scrutiny from this point of view.
Where possible, introduction of longwall method should be considered.
3. Research is necessary into the methods of properly ventilating the headings in bord and pillar
workings.
4. Only specially trained persons should be employed on the work of routine analysis of mine air.
All gassy mines should have reliable gas-detectors and methanometers. No system of gas
detecting instruments can, however, remove the necessity of testing for gas by flame safety
lamps.
5. Only lamps designed for gas-testing should be used for the purpose. Only persons holding a
gas-testing certificate should be issued such lamps. In every gassy mine, not less than one-tenth
of the total workmen should be so trained.
6. Lamps issued to overmen and superior officials should be relighter type.
7. There is need for better standard of lighting in mines. The use of flame safety lamps and of
'mug' lamps for lighting purposes should be gradually stopped.
8. The standard of safety lamp-cabins generally leaves much to be desired. More attention should
be paid to the maintenance and cleaning of flame safety lamps.
9. Research is necessary on the subject of fire-damp drainage, and the cause of outbursts of gas
etc.
CB. The problem of coal dust (in coal mines)
1. The vastness of the problem of coal dust does not appear to be generally realised. The
organisation for clearing of coal dust and of treating with incombustible dust at most mines
leaves much to be desired.
2. Where the rate of deposition of coal dust is high, greater resort should be had to the
consolidation of road-dust and to watering.
3. Considerable research work on the various- methods of suppression of dust, of roadway
treatment and on the efficacy of different methods of watering is necessary. As also on the
explosibility of dusts of various coal seams in India, and on the effectiveness of stone-dust
barriers.
CC. The problem of heat and humidity
Where the heat and humidity is above a specified level, the length of duration of shift should be
reduced.
CD. Problems of Roof Control
1. The problem of controlling strata stresses at greater depths requires detailed investigation.
2. In deeper coal mines and for working thick seams sandstowing during depillaring operations
should be compulsory.
CE. Problems of Mechanisation
1. A properly equipped and staffed Mechanisation Training Centre should be opened without
delay for training machine operators and maintenance-men.
2. Institution of new statutory certificates of competency for mine engineers, mechanics and
electricians etc. should be considered.
3. The standard of supervision on the afternoon and night shifts should be improved. In gassy
and mechanized mines, in particular. the percentage of officials should be raised.
4. In mechanised mines, more attention should be paid to the support of roof.
CF. Greater use of explosives
1. Constant effort should be made to raise the standard of handling and use of explosives.
2 Persons to be appointed as shotfirers should be properly selected and intensively trained, so
that safety habits are ingrained in their very nature.
3. The fixation of the maximum number of shots to be fired by a shotfirer needs very careful
consideration.
4. In every mine using more than a prescribed amount of explosives. The whole shotfiring staff
should be under the charge of a superior official on each shotfiring shift.
D. Organisation of large and / or gassy mines
1. All large mines should employ separate senior supervisory staff (on full time basis) to look
after each of the more important safety aspects. Such as ventilation, sandstowing, shotfiring,
machinery maintenance etc.
2. Only experienced persons should be appointed as managers of large and or gassy mines.
3. In all mines above a prescribed size, a suitably qualified persons should be employed as Safety
Officer.
DA. Need for Research Work
1. There is a special need for research work into the methods of working of thick seams.
2. For success in its work, the Mining Research Station should work in close collaboration with
the Mines Department and the Industry.

E. Management Practices
1. The definition of 'agent' in the Mines Act should be amended to include every person other
than an owner or agent who takes part or has an effective say in the technical management of the
mine including-
(i) Senior 'officers like Chief Mining Engineers, etc;
(ii) Specialist staff like Planning Engineers, Chief Surveyors, Chief Engineers etc.;
(iii) Persons of the type of Local Supervisors, 'Master babus' etc.
2. Where the owner himself directly supervises and directs work at the mine,he must carry direct
responsibility for safe operation in every case.
3. Mines Act should clearly provide that all instructions regarding technical matters (even by an
Owner or Agent) should be routed through the manager.
4. To enable the manager to devote more attention to safety matters, the non-technical
obligations relating to building of canteens, crèches, pit-head baths etc., and of payment of
bonus, provident fund etc. should be removed from the person of the manager and shared
between the owner/agent, welfare personnel officer etc.
5. The status of surveyors and other supervisory officials should be improved commensurate
with their responsibilities and duties.
6. The status of winding engine-men should also be improved to attract persons of higher
standard to this cadre.
7. A statutory provision similar to Coal Mines Regulation 113(2) should be made relating to the
determination of the size of overmens' district.
8. No safety official shall be dismissed unless his case has been discussed in the Pit Safety
Committee.
F. The Role of Workmen
1. Workmen and their representatives should cooperate with the management in ensuring
effective compliance with safety measures and precautions.
2. Workmen should have the right to get the mines inspected by their chosen representatives.
Such representatives should be specifically excluded from dealing with matters relating to
wages, wage-rates, labour disputes, etc.
3. A copy of every violation letter received from the Mines Department should be posted on a
special notice board.
4. At every large mine, a Safety Committee should be set up to discuss matters relating to safety.
The Committee should be precluded from dealing with matters relating to wages, wage-rates,
labour disputes, etc. The Committee may discuss the reports of inspection of workmen's
representatives and also the violation letters received by the management from the Mines
Department. It should also bring to the notice of the Mines Department any safety provision of
direction that is not being observed or any other danger that comes to its notice.
5. Cases of disciplinary action arising out of non-observance of safety requirements may be
referred to the Committee.
6. Discipline amongst workers is essential for conducting different operations in a mine in a safe
manner. The problem of lack of discipline in mining areas requires a through enquiry by a
properly-constituted body.
7. Where pursuation fails, deterrent action should be taken against violators of safety laws.
Where a workman is punished for a breach of safety provisions of the law, he should not be
shown any sympathy by the workmen's unions.
GA. Methods of Recruitment
1. An established and permanent labour force is an asset to the Industry from all points of view,
including safety.
2. The present recruitment position is chaotic. The recommendations made elsewhere about the
training of all new recruits to mining also imply the creation of a suitable Central Recruitment
Agency.
3. Recruitment through labour contractors and other private agencies should be abolished.

GB. Hours of work

An investigation into the fatigue factor (by systematic time-studies of different categories of
workers in different type of mines) is necessary.
GC. Fitness of Workers
1. All entrants to mining should be subjected to a physical test. All mine workers should also be
medically examined at periodic intervals.
2. Provision of housing for mine-workers should be given top priority.
3. A system whereby men work in a regular team may be better than one in which new
workgroups are formed frequently.
HA. Enforcement Agency
1. Inspections should not be carried out to the point at which inspector's responsibility begins to
be substituted for the statutory responsibility of the owner. For the time being, the frequency of
inspections may be based on the following general principles-
(a) Two general inspections every year of all mines.
(b) In all large mines, special inspections to be made with reference to a particular object in
view, e.g. general supervision, ventilation, coal dust, support in depillaring areas, etc.
(c) Mines where conditions appear to b& generally unsatisfactory or the standard of management
inferior, should be placed under frequent inspection until the mine has been brought up to a
certain standard.
(d) A number of surprise inspections should be made on the afternoon and night shifts.
2. As it is asking too much of any Inspector to bear in mind every detail of statutory
requirements, or to have the power of observation to recognize in one comprehensive survey
whether or not each one is order, there is an increasing need for the inspector's visits to be
directed mainly to certain pre-selected objectives, subject to the general scheme of inspections.
3. On surprise inspections, the majority should be made on afternoon and night shifts.
4. The enforcement of the Mines Rules should be taken away from the Mines Department to
enable it to devote its full attention to safety and allied matters.
5. Mines Department should have sufficient Inspectors of Mines for Special Duties, Electrical
Inspectors, Mechanical Inspectors, Medical Inspectors etc.
6. The general strength of the Mines Department should be increased to enable it to discharge
properly the heavy burden placed on it as a result of the new legislations and sure to be
considerably added to by these recommendations. It is obvious that unless the staff of the Mines
Department is adequate, it cannot properly discharge the functions entrusted to it.
7. The position regarding recruitment to the Mines Department is very poor, As Inspectors are to
be drawn from the ranks of managers, there is need for some comparison between the salaries
paid in the Department and those paid in the Industry. The principle followed in the U.K. where
the salary-grade of an Inspector starts where that of the manager in the nationalized industry
ends, may be followed here with advantage.
8. There should not be more than three Inspectors under on Regional Inspector. The number of
senior officers should also be sufficient to properly guide, and keep check on the work of
regional
offices.
9. Adequate library facilities should be available to officers of the Mines Department including
those posted at the regional and other outlying offices. Facilities should also be provided
forInspectors to obtain training in foreign countries.
HB. Problem of Enforcement
1. For proper enforcement, it is necessary for every regional office the Mines Department to have
regular legal assistance at its disposal.
2. The possibility of appointing Special Mining Courts should be explored to ensure that due
importance is given to infringements of safety laws and that, for proved contraventions the
penalty awarded is sufficient to act as a deterrent.
3. The possibility of vesting the Inspectorate with powers of imposing fines in certain cases of
contraventions should be explored.
4. The Mines Act should be amended to provide that evidence recorded by Inspectors would be
accepted by the Courts of Law.
5. Section 22 of the Mines Act should be amended to include cases where, despite warnings, the
managements do not show any improvement in regard to safety matters.
6. Every mining lease should carry a clause to the effect that the lease may be cancelled if due to
the bad history of management, the Chief Inspector so recommends.
7. Contravention of an order under Section 22(3) of the Act should be punishable with
imprisonment only.
8. Limitations of the enforcement agency should be realised. It should be appreciated that
"inspite of all the authorities’ vigilance and severity, it is practically impossible to compel
respect for safety obligation in all cases. Again, statutory regulations and inspections cannot
prevent many of the accidents due to causes such as carelessness, faulty methods.., howsoever
much the authorities may intervene."
9. The Mines Department can function as an enforcement agency only for so long as it is
independent of any authority responsible for the production of minerals.
10. Holding of enquiries by police authorities into mine accident should be prevented to obviate
undue harassment to mine managements and workers.
I. Avoidance of Dual Control on Safety in Coal Mines
1. Such work of the Coal Board as related to safety (including stowing) should be placed under
the direction and control of the Chief Inspector; and the funds of the Coal Board should be
placed at the disposal of the Mines Department.
2. Expenditure incurred on stone-dusting (or other dust-treatment) should a legitimate charge on
the funds of the Coal Board.
3. The rate of assistance granted in cases of conservation should not exceed that in cases of
voluntary stowing for safety.
4. In cases of compulsory stowing for safety, assistance should be granted at the full (100%) rate.

SAFETY EDUCATION AND TRAINING

J. Education and Training

1. Unless competent and dependable workmen, operators and officials are available in mines, no
programme of promotion of safety can make any real headway.
2. Immediate steps should be taken to train all new entrants to mining. The scheme may start
with gassy mines and should gradually be extended to cover all mine workers. The Mines
Welfare Commission appears to be the best agency to undertake such a scheme.
3. Further Accident Prevention courses for all workers should be arranged at periodic intervals.
4. The provision of training facilities for mining supervisory staff should be expedited. Special
attention should be paid to the training of mine surveyors.
5. one-year specialisation courses for qualified engineers for employment in mines should be
instituted.
6. A suitable scheme of directed practical training for mining engineers should be evolved.
7. Arrangements should be made for holding of refresher courses for older officials and
technicians etc. Training in the principles of TWI should be included in every curriculum of
training of officials and technicians etc.
KA. Safety Education
1. "Everyone who works in the mine, from the manager to the youngest worker must be instilled
with the right attitude, which consists in a sincere belief in the possibility of accident prevention,
in bearing safety in mind, and a resolve to put into practice everything which can contribute to
preventing accidents."
2. For senior managerial staff, a Safety Bulletin (quarterly) should be put out by the Department
of Mines; and, occasional Safety Conference should be held.
3. For other officials, 'Accident Prevention Courses' should be established, making full use of
audio-visual methods and safety 'tracts' with suitable illustrations should be prepared and
distributed.
4. It is also necessary to hold periodic refresher courses.
5. 'First Aid Training' amongst mine workers should be intensified.

KB. Safety Competitions and Incentive for Safety

1. Safety weeks should be held occasionally in the whole industry. Safety Campaigns, aimed at
reducing accidents of a particular type or during a particular period, may also be useful.
2. Suitable safety awards (for good safety records) may be instituted by a Governmental agency,
amongst-
(i) large companies;
(ii) individual mines;
(iii) individual miners.
3. Large mines or group of mines should institute awarding systems of safety prizes to district
officials, individuals etc. for low-accident performance.
4. Institution of a suitable scheme of Incentive Safety Bonus deserves serious consideration.
5. Officials' Safety meetings at the mine-level are also a useful medium for promoting safety.
LA. Rescue in cases of inundation
1. Every mine should send to the Regional Inspector once a year, a list of all pumping equipment
(including pipe-ranges etc.) which can be readily spared and dismantled. The list should contain
certain detailed specifications of the equipment. From these lists, classified lists giving location
of each type of equipment should be prepared.
2. Similar classified lists may be prepared of heavy load carriers in the locality.
3. In case of an emergency existing at any mine requiring the help of outside workers, it should
be the statutory responsibility of the mine-management concerned to immediately provide free
and adequate canteen and resting facilities for all such workers. It should also be required to pay
reasonable charges for the loan of equipment and for the employment of workers belonging to
other concerns.
LB. Rescue from behind Irrespirable Atmosphere
1. A statutory provision should be made requiring payment of prescribed allowances to all rescue
workers and, in case of emergency at a mine requiring their services, also for requiring the
managements concerned to provide free and adequate canteen and resting facilities.
2. It should be the statutory obligation of every rescue trained worker to turn out when a call is
sent out.
M. Health Hazards in Mining
A medical inspectorate should be set up early, within the Mines Department, to undertake regular
industrial hygiene surveys in mining areas.
NA. Compensation for Accidents
1. There is a case for increasing the rates of compensation.
2. There are also strong grounds for the payment of some supplementary compensation to mine
workers. Any such scheme should also provide for the recuperation of persons who have escaped
from disasters etc., and for the education of children of accident victims. The scheme can best be
operated through a Mines Welfare Commission.
NB. Compensation of Industrial Diseases
The arrangements being made to rehabilitate the permanently injured coal-miners should be
extended to cover all mines.
O. Collection of statistics
 1. The definition of 'serious injury' may be amended to conform with the recommendations of the
I.L.O., if any.
2. The manshift basis is the most representative basis for calculating accident- rates. Rates based
on production basis may however be used for comparisons over short periods.
3. For the proper scrutiny and examination of statistics, the statistical section of the Mines
Department should be strengthened. Statistical assistance should also be provided to the regional
offices.
P. The Price of Coal
In the policy of coal price fixation and coal control, due weightage should be given to the cost of
observing additional safety measures in the deep and/or gassy mines.

QA. Protective Equipment

Further statistical studies are required to indicate the necessity for the use of protective
equipment other than hats and shoes.
QB. Safety material and Equipment
1. Steps should be taken for the manufacture, within the country of essential safety material like
fire-proof brattice cloth and incombustible dust etc.
2. A standing committee should be set up to assess the industry's requirements for safety
equipment, and to promote the manufacture of such equipment in India. Till, however, the
indigenous production can meet the total requirement, imports should be permitted to meet the
balance of requirements in full.

S AFETY C OMMITTEE
The Safety Committee is comprised of a group of employees who value the safety and well-
being of their peers and the continuous success of the organization. It’s an effective way to
improve safety behavior and performance in the workplace and to encourage workers to support
the organization’s safety program. Participation in the Safety Committee represents a
commitment on your part in time and effort to:
 Be your organization’s eyes and ears
 Raise safety awareness
 Gain respect of co-workers and peers
 Analyze and/or solve problems
 Follow-up and follow-through consistently
A. PURPOSE
The purpose of a Safety Committee is to regularly bring workers and management together in a
cooperative effort to communicate and to promote occupational safety and health in the
workplace. It’s an opportunity to assist the employer and make recommendations for
improvements regarding safety issues. It’s a joint effort to detect and correct workplace hazards,
reduce injuries and illnesses, prevent fatalities and increase safety awareness. The committee is
visible and approachable for safety and health concerns, suggestions, and problem solving.
B. FUNCTIONS
In order to accomplish these objectives successfully, the Safety Committee should:
 1. Develop a written mission statement and by-laws or charter.
2. Define duties and responsibilities of officers and general members.
3. Identify and prioritize goals and establish action plans to achieve each goal.
4. Include representation from different levels and areas of the organization.
5. Make attendance a priority and utilize all member resources.
6. Hold regularly scheduled meetings, one feasibly every month but no less than every
four months.
7. Develop methods to increase and maintain safety awareness.
8. Communicate the purpose, activities and accomplishments of the committee to all
employees (i.e., safety bulletin boards, newsletters, posting on networks).
9. Organize special subcommittees to address specific issues and projects.
10. Set clear meeting agendas, publish them in advance and then follow them.
11. Keep minutes of each meeting that summarizes the key issues discussed, the proposed
actions to be taken, and the person(s) responsible for follow-up on each item. Minutes
should be published and provided to each committee member and available to all
employees.
O THER DUTIES MAY INCLUDE :
1. Safety contests
2. Poster programs/contests
3. Audio-visual presentations
4, Special safety/health events (open house, safety fairs)
5. Guest speakers, seminars or training programs.
6. Employee suggestion programs
7. Injury prevention campaigns (i.e., ergonomics, backs, slips/trips/falls)
8. Special safety recognition awards
9. Newsletters/promotional material
10. Safety fairs and activities
11. Tracking and trending losses
12. Conducting accident investigations
13. Performing inspections
C. ORGANIZATION
Each Safety Committee should include a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, a Secretary, general
members and alternates. Chairperson The primary duties of this position are to:
1. Develop meeting agendas.
 2. Coordinate and conduct orderly meetings.
3. Establish necessary deadlines and subcommittee assignments.
4. Provide appropriate and timely follow-up on problems and recommendations developed
by the committee.
5. Serve as a communication liaison between management and the committee.
6. Promote health and safety by personal example.
IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE, THE C HAIRPERSON :
1. Must have the confidence of other committee members, employees and management.
2. Be familiar with the general principles and concepts of safety and health management
and applicable requirements of the Montana Safety Culture Act (MSCA), the Occupational
Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and/or the Mine Safety and Health Act (MSHA).
3. Be visibly enthusiastic about the organizations Safety and Health Program.
V ICE -C HAIRPERSON
The primary duties of this position are:
1. Assume leadership of the committee when the chairperson is unavailable on a short-
term basis or resigns from the committee.
2. Assistance with the coordination and direction of the committee and subcommittee
activities.
S ECRETARY
The primary duties of this position are:
1. To maintain, record and disseminate minutes of each meeting.
2. Actively promote safety and health by personal example and communicate with
employees and supervisors. The Secretary should be appointed by the Chairperson or
elected by members of the committee for a one year term, rotating this post periodically to
give all members an opportunity.
GENERAL M EMBERS /A LTERNATES
1. Each committee should be made up of employees from various areas and levels within
the organization.
2. Work with supervisors to eliminate hazardous conditions and unsafe work practices.
3. Listen to employee suggestions about safety and discuss in the next scheduled
committee meeting.
4. Investigate suggestions, concerns, new ways of working safely, corrective actions, and
safety and health inspections.
5. Attend training necessary to gain the skills and experience to promote safety and health
within the organization.
A LL C OMMITTEE M EMBERS
 1. Set a good example.
2. Be visible.
3. Be proud to serve.
4. Feel their jobs are important.
5. Seek education and training.
6. Support each other.
D. MEETINGS
Committee meetings should be held on a specific day and time, and scheduled at least every
month but no less than every four months. When meeting schedules are planned well in advance,
members are in a better position to arrange for their attendance and prepare for discussion.
Committee meetings should include:
1. Review of unfinished items from previous meetings and/or activities.
2. Status reports from any subcommittees.
3. Discussion/review of safety inspection reports and actions taken to correct hazards.
4. Review accident/incident reports and any corrective actions identified.
5. Review status of current action plans or training programs.
6. Review loss control reports and make recommendations.
7. Discuss special activities or upcoming events.
8. Discuss safety suggestions/concerns and provide solutions.
9. Discuss new business, future agenda items, projects and meeting dates.
10. Retain recorded meeting minutes for three years. Records should be made available for
review and/or assessment, as necessary.
E. SUMMARY
The Safety Committee will function more effectively as long as it is recognized by employees,
supervisors and managers who welcome its services. The committee can be a proactive tool to
help prevent unsafe practices and conditions, reduce the risks associated with injuries and
illnesses, and help motivate employees and supervisors to become actively involved in their
organization’s safety and health program.

Safety Committee - For every mine wherein more than 100 persons are ordinarily employed, the
owner, agent or manager shall constitute a Safety Committee for promoting Safety in the mine;
Provided that the Chief Inspector or an Inspector may by a general or special order in writing
require the owner, agent or manager of any group of specified mines or of all mines in a
specified area to constitute a group Safety Committee in such manner and subject to such
conditions as he may specify in the order.
29U Composition of Safety Committee _ The Safety Committee shall consist of :
(a) the manager who shall be the Chairman ;
(b) five officials or competent persons of the mine nominated by the Chairman ;
(c) five workmen nominated by the workmen of the mine in accordance with the procedure
prescribed in clause (a) of sub-rule(1) of rule 29Q for nomination of Workmen’s Inspector;
(d) Workmen’s Inspector where so designated; and
(e) the Safety Officer, or where there is no Safety Officer, the senior most mine official next to
the manager, who shall act as Secretary to the Committee; Provided that any other official,
competent person or work person may be co-opted by the Chairman as a member of the
Committee on any day or days of the meeting, if considered necessary.

29V. Functions of Safety Committee - The functions of the Committee shall be-
(1) to discuss remedial measures against the unsafe conditions and practices in the mine as
pointed out in the reports of Workmen’s Inspector or otherwise brought to the notice of the
Committee and make appropriate recommendations;
(2) to consider, before commencement of operations in any new district of mine or
commissioning of new electrical or mechanical installation or introduction of new mining
technique, the proposed Safety and health measures including related codes of practice and to
make appropriate recommendations;
(3) to discuss the report of inquiry into accident and make appropriate recommendations;
(4) to formulate and implement appropriate Safety campaign based on analysis of accidents;
(5) to meet at least once in 30 days to consider the matter placed before it and any other matter
that may be raised by the members and make such recommendations as it may deem fit; and
(6) to serve as a forum for communication on Safety and occupational health matters.

29W Implementation of recommendations of the Safety Committee - The owner, agent or

manager shall, within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of the recommendations of the
Safety Committee, shall indicate to the Secretary to the Safety Committee, the action taken to
implement the recommendations.]

30 Quantity of drinking water –

(1) The quantity of drinking water to be provided in a mine or any part thereof shall be on a
scale of at least two litres for every person employed at any one time and such drinking water
shall be readily available at conveniently accessible points during the whole of the working shift.
(2) Where 100 persons or more are employed, either above ground or in opencast workings, at
any one time, an Inspector may by order in writing require the drinking water to be effectively
cooled by mechanical or other means available.
(3) No charge shall be made for the drinking water so supplied.

31. Storage of drinking water – 1[(1) If drinking water is not provided from taps connected
with constant water- supply system, it shall be kept cool in suitable vessels sheltered from
whether and such vessels shall be emptied, cleaned and refilled very day. Steps shall be taken to
preserve the water, the storage vessels and the vessels used for drinking water in a clean and
hygienic condition.]
(2) If the source of drinking water is not from a public water supply system, an Inspector may by
order in writing require the owner, agent or manager of the mine to submit with the least possible
delay a certificate from a competent health authority or analyst as to the fitness of the water for
human consumption.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM

Occupational injuries and ill-health have huge social and economic implications for individuals,
their families and their communities. They also have economic impacts in the form of direct and
indirect costs for society as a whole. Total costs of occupational accidents and disease have been
estimated at between 1 and 3 per cent of GDP in various countries1,2. Direct costs include
compensation costs, costs associated with damage in the workplace and the costs of interruption
of production. Indirect costs include the costs of livelihoods lost, income to dependents, and the
cost associated with caregiving by families and the community. Poor communities tend to bear
the brunt of externalized indirect costs, but today mining companies can also suffer loss of
reputation and withdrawal of investment capital.

In the broader context of sustainable development, healthy and safe workingconditions are
among the first expectations for sustainability, i.e. the expectation that risks in mining will not
deprive workers of their livelihoods or of their quality of life. Occupational accidents and health
hazards can also affect public health and safety, and the environment. These factors, the effects
on the health and safety of people, costs to the economy and impacts on the environment, link
efforts to address occupational health and safety to the broader social agenda for sustainable
development. The accident and ill-health record of the mining sector compares poorly to that of
other economic sectors such as manufacturing, construction and rail, leading to mining’s
reputation as the most hazardous industrial sector. Mine environments are especially challenging
because they can degrade fairly rapidly and they change as mining progresses.

Dust and noise are inherently associated with rock breaking, and in underground mines, air and
light must be supplied artificially. Blasting, as well as mining itself, releases harmful gases into
the underground environment. Ergonomic hazards are common in mining as miners generally
handle heavy equipment and do heavy work, often in cramped conditions. In some instances
ergonomic hazards, which are associated with poor engineering design, contribute to increased
safety risks. An example from South African mines is the positioning of the driver’s seat in many
of the locomotives still used in haulage—at the back of the vehicle and at right angles to the
direction of travel.

When mining started on an industrial scale in the 1880s, miners faced very high levels of risk to
both safety and health. Over the years the safety performance of mines improved, but not at the
same rate as at in other major mining countries such as Australia, Canada and the USA. It is
difficult to compare health performance. In 1995, the Commission of Inquiry into Mine Safety
and Health concluded on the basis of a number of studies that exposures to dust in mining had
remained unchanged for 50 years. The Commission attributed this to an absence of systemic
approaches to controlling respiratory disease. In recent years, changes in legislation, better
appreciation of the relationship between silica exposure, TB and HIV/AIDS, and commitments
made by industry stakeholders have resulted in fresh efforts to reduce health and safety risks.
However, comprehensive initiatives to control health exposures are still new and in development.
Since exposure data for airborne pollutants and noise indicate that risks to health are serious,
they are likely to remain so until effective control strategies are implemented across the sector.
Recent developments such as increasing numbers of contractors working on mines, the
emergence of ‘junior’ mining companies, the recognition of small-scale and artisanal mining,
and the presence of women in mining pose new challenges for health and safety regulation and
practice, for example:
➤ With more contractors and contracting companies on site, occupational health and safety
management is more complex. Given the need for contractors to quote competitively for work,
tensions between health and safety goals, and production outputs are heightened. In 1999, the
number of subcontractors employed in the industry was estimated at 10%.
➤ Many junior mining companies lack the resources of their larger counterparts to identify best
practice for health and safety, and to develop comprehensive approaches to risk management.
➤ Until recently, artisanal and small- scale mines, which play a role in poverty alleviation by
providing employment, were not catered for in South African mining policy. About 20 000
small-scale and artisanal miners are active in the country9. Small scale and artisanal miners often
lack business management skills, awareness of the legal requirements for mining and the means
to address health and safety risks.
➤Women in mining face greater risks to their safety than men because they use machinery, tools
and equipment that have been designed for men. Furthermore, given that the physical demands
of mining are matched to physiology of a select group of men, women face increased risks of
injury and ill-health.

FEEDBACK ON SAFETY

Giving people feedback as they go lets them make corrections earlier and helps avoid the “piling
on” effect. ... Also, make it a habit to give good feedback as (or even more) often as you give
negative feedback. When you see someone doing something safe, point it out to reinforce the
behavior in the future. Safe behavior is followed by positive feedback (or praise) to support that
behavior and increase the likelihood it will occur again. And, at-risk behavior should be followed
immediately with negative feedback in an attempt to stop the behavior and reduce its probability
of reoccurrence.
Module 2
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY

A broad and thorough workplace survey forms the foundation for occupational health care
functions at the workplace. The purpose of the workplace survey is for the occupational health
care service to investigate the circumstances of the workplace and the work being done and to
evaluate their health impacts on employees. In the workplace survey, the occupational health
care service also assesses physical and psychosocial workloads, work arrangements and the risks
of accidents and violence.
The workplace survey report includes proposals on how to improve working conditions and
promote work capacity. The workplace survey report contains information on specific hazards
causing risk of illness and on action the employer should take to eliminate or minimise those
hazards. It also outlines the necessary health examinations to be conducted.
In addition to a basic workplace survey, the occupational health care service may also perform
targeted workplace surveys, for instance on work ergonomics or psychosocial work load.
Occupational health care professionals will visit the workplace to assess health risks and, if
necessary, to measure them. They also use questionnaires and interviews to explore the physical
and psychosocial work load. The workplace survey includes investigating first aid readiness.
The employer is responsible for ensuring that the workplace survey has been performed and that
its findings are up to date. The workplace survey must cover all circumstances of the workplace
and all work being done there. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, it is the
employer’s responsibility to identify hazards, assess risks and record them. The workplace
survey report may be appended to the hazard identification and risk assessment process that is
the employer's responsibility.
The employer must keep the workplace survey at display for the employees on the workplace.

Introduction

Workers should be protected from occupational risks they could be exposed to. This could be
achieved through a risk management process, which involves risk analysis, risk assessment and
risk control practices. In order to carry out an effective risk management process, it is necessary
to have a clear understanding of the legal context, concepts, risk analysis, assessment and control
processes and the role played by all involved in the process. It is also desirable to base risk
management on solid and tested methodologies.
Prevention of occupational risks

Within the context of their general obligations, employers have to take the necessary measures
for the safety and health protection of workers, including prevention of occupational risks. This
is a quite basic principle in the law of many countries. For instance, within the European
Community, it was settled by the Council Directive of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of
measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (Framework
Directive 89/391/EEC), and then adopted by Member States’ national laws. It should be noted
that Member States can introduce more rigorous provisions to protect their workers.
For preventing occupational accidents and ill health, employers must perform risk assessment
regarding safety and health at work, and decide on protective measures to take and, if necessary,
on protective equipment to use. It is advisable that risk assessment should be done at least every
year or every time a change is introduced in the workplace, for instance due to the introduction
of new work equipment or procedure, or the use of a new chemical substance or preparation.
Risk assessment, as referred before, is a legal obligation in Europe but it is also a good practice
that contributes to keep companies competitive and effective. Risk assessment is a dynamic
process that allows companies and organizations to put in place a proactive policy for managing
occupational risks. Therefore, risk assessment constitutes the basis for implementation of
appropriate preventive measures and, according to the Directive; it must be the starting point of
any Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Management system. An OSH Management system
should be integrated in the company’s management system. It is intended to develop and
implement company OSH policies and manage its OSH risks[1]. Risk assessment is a step in the
OSH risk management process.
Important concepts

Important concepts in risk management are the concepts of hazard and risk. A hazard is a source,
situation, or act with a potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill health, or a combination
of these[1]. Therefore, a hazard can be anything present in the workplace that has the potential to
cause an injury to workers, either a work accident or an occupational disease. Examples of
physical hazardous situations can be working on a ladder, handling chemicals substances or
walking on a wet floor. Examples of psychosocial hazardous situations are job content, job
insecurity, isolation, bullying or harassment, since employees’ health are affected by their
perceptions and experience about work organization and other related factors[2].
Risk is the combination of the likelihood of an occurrence of a hazardous event or exposure and
the severity of injury or ill health that can be caused by the event or exposure[1].
From a psychosocial perspective risk is defined as the likelihood that psychosocial factors have a
hazardous influence on employees’ health through their perceptions and experience and the
severity of ill health that can be caused by exposure to them.
Another important concept in risk management is risk acceptability. According to the BS
OHSAS 18001 an acceptable risk is a risk that has been reduced to a level that can be tolerated
by the organization having regard to its legal obligations and its own OSH policy[1].
Risk management

Figure 1: Risk management

Risk management is an iterative and cyclic process, as depicted on Figure 1[3].
Following the methodology PDCA(Plan-Do-Check-Act) risk management is a systematic
process that includes the examination of all characteristics of the work system where the worker
operates, namely, the workplace, the equipment/machines, materials, work methods/practices
and work environment. The aim of Risk Management is to identify what could go wrong, i.e.
finding what can cause injury or harm to workers, and to decide on proper safety control
measures to prevent work accidents and occupational diseases and implement them (i.e. risk
control).
It is important that employers know where the risks are in their organizations and control them to
avoid putting in risk employees, customers and the organization itself. The main goal of risk
management is to eliminate or at least to reduce the risks according to the ALARP (as low as
reasonably practicable) principle. A key aspect in risk management is that it should be carried
out with an active participation/involvement of the entire workforce. Carrying out risk
management implies performing several steps (whose activities will be detailed in the next sub-
sections).
Preparation of the process
The preparation of the risk management process involves several activities, namely:

 Identification of exposed workers – particular attention should be given to:

 workers with special needs, such as pregnant women, young workers, aging workers and
workers with disabilities;
 maintenance workers, cleaners, contractors and visitors
 Characterization of tasks, work equipment, materials, and work procedures;
 Identification and characterization of safety measures in use;
 Identification of work accidents and occupational diseases related with the workplace in
analysis; and
 Identification of legislation, standards or company regulations related to the workplace in
analysis.
Several means can be used to support these activities. For instance:

 Direct observation while the job is being performed – walkthrough;

 Interviews with workers and managers;
 Check work accidents and occupational diseases records;
 Check equipment/machine technical data;
 Examine material safety data sheets regarding chemical substances used in workplace;
 Consider legislation, standards and company regulations applicable to the workplace under
study.
As referred, according to EU legislation employers are responsible for performing risk
assessment regarding safety and health at work. Therefore, the overall responsibility for
identifying, assessing and controlling risks at the workplace lies with the employer, who must
guarantee that the occupational safety and health (OSH) risk management activities are properly
executed.
The employer can delegate this function (not the responsibility) in occupational health and safety
specialists and occupational physicians. The specialists may be part of the company staff
(internal services) or be contracted outside (external services).
Workers participation in the process of occupational safety and health risk management is
fundamental, since workers are the actors that best know the OSH problems and the resources
involved in their tasks. Another important reason for their participation is related with the
acceptance of the safety measures to implement.
Risk analysis
The risk analysis activities involve:

 Identification of hazards present in the workplace and work environment;

 Identification of hazards discovered in previous risk management;
 Identification of potential consequences of the recognized hazards – risks, i.e. the potential
causes of injury to workers, a work accident, an occupational disease or a work related
disease.
Several means can be used to support these activities. For instance:

 Direct observation – walkthrough;

 Interviews with workers and managers;
 Checklists;
 Deviation analysis;
 Energy analysis;
 Job safety analysis;
 Previous risk assessment data;
 Employee (satisfaction) surveys.
Risk assessment
Risk assessment is the process of evaluation of the risks arising from a hazard, taking into
account the adequacy of any existing controls and deciding whether or not the risks is
acceptable[1]. Several methods to perform risk assessment are available ranging from expert to
participatory methodologies and from simple to complex methods. Risk assessment involves
evaluating, ranking, and classifying risks.
Risk evaluation

Table 1: A simple risk estimator

Risk evaluation involves the determination of a quantitative or qualitative value for the risk.
Quantitative risk evaluation requires calculations of the two components of the risk: the
probability that the risk will occur, and the severity of the potential consequences. This approach
is seldom applied in practice.
Qualitative risk evaluation is more common and usually adopts a methodology based on a
matrix, for instance the matrix proposed in British Standard 8800[4]. It is a simple method for
estimating risks. Risks are estimated according to their likelihood and potential severity of harm,
combining the severity and likelihood categories, as shown on table 1.
According to British Standard organizations should adjust the design and size of the matrix to
suit their needs[4].
Ranking of the evaluated risks
Based on the risk values obtained during the risk evaluation phase, risks should be sorted and
ranked according to their severity.
Classify risk acceptability
A decision whether or not a risk is acceptable result from the comparison of the obtained risk
value with reference values defined in legislation. Complying with legislation is the minimum
requirement. Although companies should consider doing more than the legal minimum. However
there is not always applicable legislation. Therefore, the decision should be supported on other
knowledge sources, namely international standards, OSH guidelines, machine/equipment
specifications, recommendations from advisory bodies (e.g. unions), or by comparison with
similar hazardous situations in similar companies.
In this decision process it is advisable to take into account the individuals’ total exposure to risk,
allowing for the fact that they could be exposed to risks associated with a number of different
hazards[4].

Table 2: Risk categorization

It should be highlighted that a particularly careful assessment of individual risk exposure should
be performed to workers of special groups (for example, vulnerable groups such as new or
inexperienced workers), or to those most directly involved in the highest risk activities] (i.e. the
most exposed group of workers)[4].
This risk classification is the baseline for selecting safety actions to be implemented and when
defining the timescale, i.e. the urgency of the implementation of the corrective safety measures.
As an example, table 2 depicts a simple risk categorization and the respective guidance to the
application of corrective safety measures proposed by[4].
To have a consistent base for all risk assessments the company should first establish the
acceptability criteria. This should involve consultation with workers representatives and other
stakeholders and should take account of legislation and regulatory agency guidance, where
applicable[4].
Risk control
Risk control is the stage where the actions to identify and implement safety measures to control
risks are performed having in mind the protection of workers’ health and safety, as well as their
monitoring over time. The safety measures implemented should be the ones that best protect
everyone exposed to the risk. However, it is important not to forget that additional or different
safety measures may be required to protect workers belonging to special groups, namely workers
with special needs (such as pregnant women, young workers, aging workers and workers with
disabilities) and maintenance workers, cleaners, contractors and visitors. It is very important to
take account of the number of individuals exposed to the risk when setting priorities and
timescales to the implementation of safety control measures. Risk control includes design,
planning and implementing of safety control measures, as well as training and workers
information
Design safety control measures
The first step of risk control is the design of the safety control measures to eliminate risks. The
risks that cannot be avoided or eliminated should be reduced to an acceptable level, i.e. the
residual risk shall be minimized according to the ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable)
principle. This means employers must perform a cost-benefit analysis to balance the cost
(include money, time, trouble and effort) they could have to reduce a risk against the degree of
risk presented[5]. It should be demonstrated that the cost involved in reducing the risk further
would be grossly disproportionate to the benefit gained. The residual risk should be controlled.
Implement safety control measures
The safety control measures to be implemented should be based on up-dated technical and/or
organisational knowledge, and good practices. Safety control measures implementation should
be done using the following hierarchy order[6][7]:

 Prevention measures
 Protection measures
 Mitigation measures
Prevention measures
The aim of implementation of prevention measures is to reduce the likelihood of work accident
or occupational disease occurrence. Several examples, also in hierarchical order, that can be used
to achieve this objective are:
a) Using engineering or technical measures to act directly on the risk source, in order to:
 Remove it, i.e. ensure that during the workplace design phase risks are 'designed out'
 Reduce levels of hazardous materials. For instance provide effective ventilation through
local or general exhaust ventilation systems.
 Replace it, i.e. substitute the risk by a less risky material, equipment or substance
These measures are more efficient and economical when accomplished during the workplace
design phase.
b) Using organizational or administrative measures to force changing of behaviours and
attitudes and promote a safety culture:

 Information and training (awareness)

 Establish appropriate working procedures and supervision
 Management and proactive monitoring
 Routine maintenance and housekeeping procedures
Protection measures
Implementation of Protection measures should consider, first, collective measures and
then individual measures. Several examples of measures (sorted by priority) that can be
used to achieve this objective are:
a) Collective Protection measures:

 Enclose or isolate the risk through the use of guards, protection of machinery and
parts, or remote handling techniques;
 Physical barriers (anti-drop networks, railings, packaging, acoustic, thermal or
electrical barriers);
 Using organizational or administrative measures to diminish the exposure
duration:
 job rotation of workers;
 timing the job so that fewer workers are exposed;
 Implementation of safety signs, for instance restricting entry to authorized
persons.
b) Individual Protection - use of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect worker
from the residual risk. The worker should participate in the selection of PPE and should
be trained in its use.
Mitigation measures
When prevention and protective measures fail a work accident or an
occupational disease could happen. The company needs to be prepared
(emergency preparedness) and to have mitigation measures implemented. The
aim of mitigation measures is to reduce the severity of any damage to facilities
and harm to employees and public. Several examples of measures that can be
used to achieve this aim are: emergency plan, evacuation planning, warning
systems (alarms, flashing lights), test of emergency procedures, exercises and
drills, fire-extinguishing system, or a return-to-work plan.
Training and information
 Managers must know the risk their workers are exposed to. Workers must know
the risks they are exposed to. Providing information and Training courses to
workers is a legal requirement in EU. In the U.S., according to the federal
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), workers have the
“Right to Know” – about the hazards they are exposed to, the harm they might
cause, and precautions that could prevent these harmful effects.
Review and update
The risk management process should be reviewed and updated regularly, for
instance every year, to ensure that the safety measures implemented are adequate
and effective. Additional measures might be necessary if the improvements do
not show the expected results. This is also a highly recommendable procedure
since workplaces are dynamic due to change in equipment, machines, substances
or work procedures that could introduce new hazards in the workplace. Another
reason is that new knowledge regarding risks can emerge; either leading to the
need of an intervention or offering new ways of controlling the risk. The review
of the risk management process should consider a variety of types of information
and draw them from a number of relevant perspectives (e.g. staff, management,
stakeholders).
Document the process
In EU it is a legal obligation that employers make an “assessment of the risks to
safety and health at work, including those facing groups of workers exposed to
particular risks” (Framework Directive 89/391/EEC). Because of that the entire
process has to be documented. Documentation should provide an overview of the
identified hazards, respective risks and subsequent safety control measures
implemented. Namely, it should include the following items: work activity/area
under assessment; employees at risk; list of occupational risks and hazards,
likelihood of harm; severity of harm; risk levels and their acceptability or
controls in place. See for instance “Risk assessment sheet” from OSHA[8].
Risk management tools

It is desirable to perform risk management based on tested/verifiable

methodologies. The European Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) have
developed a risk assessment tools database with tools from all over Europe.
These tools are free and available online in[9]. The database is regularly updated
with new tools.
For instance, Last Minute Risk Assessment (LMRA) is a new tool, adequate to
be used in companies where (acute) safety risks are relevant. Every time, before
the work is started, workers confirm that there are no acute risks and that normal
preventive measures are in place. The underlying idea is to emphasize that
workers/contractors have a personal responsibility (in all circumstances) to be
aware of risks and to take action when necessary.

Notified Miners Diseases and Their Preventive Measures

 MINER'S DISEASES & DUST HAZARDS
A worker working in mines may have to face some occupational health hazards mainly due to
environmental and working conditions. The main diseases
1) Nystagmus,
2) Ankylostomiasis,
3) Pneumoconiosis,
4) Silicosis, resulting from dusts
5) Asbestosis,
6) Siderosis.

Nystagmus:
This is peculiarly an underground miner's disease. The term nystagmus applied to a disease in
which the muscles and nerves of the eyes are affected and there is an abnormal movement or
oscillation of the eyeballs. This disease caused by working over a number of years in places of
insufficient light. Where naked lights are used, as in metal mines, the incidence of nystagmus
among miners is low. Electric cap lamps have also brought down the incidence of nystagmus in
coal and metal mines. Before the introduction of electric cap lamps in coal mines, the older type
of flame safety lamp with less than 0.6 candle power had resulted in nystagmus among a large
number of coal mines. It is stated that a miner suffering from nystagmus cannot see the gas cap
in a flame safety lamp. The supervisory staff in coal mines are therefore required to undergo
periodical eye testing once in 5 years. The remedy to avoid the disease lies in proper illumination
as per standards stated in earlier chapter.
Ankylostomiasis
Ankylostomiasis or miner's anaemia is practically the same disease as "hookworm disease" and
is caused by a thread-like blood sucking worm which enters the body through the skin. Miners
working in unsanitary conditions and cutting coal, standing in dirty water with bare feet over
long hours, may be affected by this disease. The symptoms are pain in stomach, loss of apetite,
constipation, followed by diarrhoea and dysentery. A person seriously affected looks anaemic;
positive knowledge is obtained by examining the stools for hookworm eggs.

PERMISSIBLE STANDARD OF DUSTINESS.

Dust hazards in mines

Before appreciating typical diseases arising from inhalation of dust in mines, one should
understand the dust hazards. The hazards of coal dust as a potential cause of explosion has been
described in the chapter on explosions. Airborne dust of coal and other rocks in mines have
harmful physiological effects. It is now well established that the incidence of pneumoconiosis,
silicosis, etc. depends upon
(1) the period of exposure to dusty surroundings, and
(2) Nature and concentration of the dust.

The dustiness of the air, i.e., the quantity of dust contained in it is stated in two ways:
(1) as the number of dust particles per cm3 of air; this method is known "as the dust count
method.
(2) as the number of mg of dust per m3 of air; this is known as the weight or gravimetric method.
The idea of dustiness of a surrounding can be formed from the following figures obtained after a
number of observations:
Dwellings ..... About 1.5mg/m3
Stone crushing sites ..... About 22 to 45 mg/m3
Cement works and ore treatment plants ..... About 130 to 200 mg/m3
At chutes during coal loading by conveyors ..... About 5 to 10 mg/m3
For conversion of weight standards to dust count standard, it is accepted that 1 mg/m3
corresponds to about 200 particles (upto 2 μ across) per cm3 •(1 μ = 1 Micron = 1/1000 mm)
According to a Russian text book the dustiness of a place may be considered as follows:
At dust contents less than 1 mg/m3, the air is not dusty.
Do do 5 mg/m3, moderately dusty.
Do do 10 mg/m3, dusty.
Do do 20 mg/m3, very dusty.
Do do 100 mg/m3, extremely dusty.
The persons worst subjected to dust hazards in coal mines are the operators of coal cutting
machines, cutter-loader machines, the drillers, loaders, blasters and conveyor attendants it the
loading chutes. In the metal mines the rock drillers are the persons worst affected.

Dust control by the respiratory system

The first obstruction encountered by the dust particles in the inhaled air is from the hair and
mucus in the nose where most of the particles greater than 10 μ in dia. are arrested. The
remaining coarser particles 10μ and above in dia. are caught by mucus in the throat and
respiratory passages. All such coarse particles are expelled by coughing.
As the air travels further down the respiratory tract most of the bigger sized particles are arrested
in it by inertia and gravity settlement, allowing only the particles in the size range of 2 microns
and below to pass into the alveoli. Since not more than 2/3rd to 3/4th of the inhaled air can reach
the pulmonary air space, it follows that deposition here cannot exceed a similar fraction of
inhaled dust even when the local efficiency of deposition is 100%. It has been calculated that
about 40 percent of the inhaled dust (weight basis) is cut off by the upper respiratory tract and
only about 25 to 30 percent is deposited in the alveoli, the rest being either arrested by the nose
and throat or breathed out. The finer dust deposited in the alveoli cannot be cleared out in the
above manner and remains there to be dealt with by phagocytic cells whose actions are usually
slow and incomplete. Some of the very fine dust particles reaching the alveoli are dissolved and
go into the blood stream.

GENERAL MINERS DISEASES AND THEIR PREVENTIVE MEASURES.

Pneumoconiosis
Dust in mines and other dusty places of work in factories causes diseases of the lungs which are
grouped under the general term pneumoconiosis (Greek, Pneumon-lung and conis-dust). The
term is applied to all conditions-in the lungs resulting from the inhalation of dust over long
periods, but in recent years, distinct terms are being used to denote the diseases caused by
specified dusts, e.g. silicosis (by silica or quartz dust); siderosis (by iron oxide dust); berylliosis
(by beryllium either in the form of dust or fumes); asbestosis (by silicate of magnesium), etc.
Dusts from lime-stone, shale and some metallic ores are not harmful. Although it is generally
agreed that anthracite and bituminous dusts do not produce lung disease, they do cause asthmatic
conditions when breathed over a long period.
The lung diseases caused by dust may exist for considerable periods without producing
symptoms or impairing physical efficiency.
Classification.
The classification of the pneumoconiosis may be made according to the physical nature of the
dust or by the type of tissue response to the particular agent. Others consider the clinical and
roentgen features of the particular dust disease. The inorganic dusts producing the disease are
classified as:
A. Fibrosis producing.—Silicosis and asbestosis are the most important in this group. These
dusts are slightly soluble.
B. Non-Fibrosis producing. — Anthracosis is the chief example in this group. These dusts are
inert and become encapsulated in the tissues or absorbed but do not produce fibrous tissue.
C. Toxic and/or irritant.—This group comprises lime, dichromate compounds, lead, mercury and
other heavy metals. These are corrosive and cause severe local reactions. If absorbed into the
body in sufficient amount, generalised toxic effects appear. The dust and also the vapour of these
substances are harmful.
Silicosis
This is the most disabling and worst of all the dust diseases. It results in fibrous tissues of the
lungs and may ultimately lead to tuberculosis. Workers engaged on stone drifting, tunnelling,
rock drilling (at the surface in quarries, or underground), and stone crushing are more prone to
silicosis; so also are the workers engaged in grinding and polishing industry and in iron and steel
industries. It has been found that particles of silica measuring 0.5 to 2.5 microns in dia. are most
apt to produce damage. Dust particles of silica are partly transformed in the alveoli into
poisonous silicic acid (H2SiO3) which passes into the blood.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a kind of pneumoconiosis which results from the inhalation of hydrated magnesium
silicate. An important feature of this disease is the presence of asbestos bodies in the lung and
sputum. Fibrosis of the lungs develops faster in asbestosis than in silicosis and in extreme cases a
person may die of asbestosis within five years of the onset of symptoms.
Siderosis
Siderosis is caused by inhalation of iron dust. The pathologic changes are due principally to the
presence of silica in iron ore-Electric arc welders are also apt to develop this type of disease due
to the fact that the electrodes used in the process are composed of approximately 99% ferrous
material. The fumes arising from the electrodes contain inorganic substances, particularly finely
divided iron oxide. Iron ore dust, though it produces pneumoconiosis usually does not show
fibrosis and is generally non-progressive and non-disabling though the alveolar wails indicate
their pigmentation and consequent thickening. If, however, iron ore dust contains some free
silica, fibrosis will result.
Anthracosis.
Anthracosis occurs in coal miners and in city dwellers exposed to dusty atmosphere containing
large amounts of smoke. The term means black lungs. The panicles of carbon which find their
way into the lung produce a phagocytic reaction similar to that in silicosis. However, the carbon
particles are inert chemically and do not cause local injury to the lung tissue. The foreign
material may be carried to the liver, spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes and other organs. The
affected organs are dark in colour but show no local reaction unless silica is also present. In mine
workers subjected to the inhalation of coal and silica dust mixtures, anthrocosilosis develops
characterised by extensive silicotic fibrosis and marked emphysema. These patients show a high
degree of tuberculosis. Miners in underground workings having poor ventilation are prone to this
disease and the symptoms may be observed only after 15 to 20 years of working. According to
British Standard, the concentration of coal dust of particle size 1 to 5 p. should not exceed 850
particles per c.c.
It is now well known that the capacity of the dust to damage the lungs depends upon the contents
of free silica in it. According to Russian standards the permitted content of silica dust in the mine
air should not exceed 2 mg/m3. The following table gives the permissible concentrations:
Permissible concentrations of non-toxic mine dust Permissible concentration mg/m3
Type of dust
Dust containing more than 70% free silica 1.0
Dust containing 10 to 70% free silica 2.0
Coal or coal-measure dust containing more than 2.0
10% free SiO2
Coal dust containing less than 10% free silica 4.0
Coal dust containing no free silica 10.0

THE MINES RESCUE RULES, 1985.

CHAPTER II
RESCUE STATIONS AND RESCUE ROOMS
3. Establishment and location of rescue station;- (1) The Chief Inspector may permit or require;
the owner of a below ground mine or a group of below ground mines to establish and maintain
rescue station, stations with such designs and specifications and at; such place/ places as may be
considered necessary in consultation with the owner:
Provided that where there are below ground mines belonging to more than one owner, the Chief
Inspector may permit or require two or more owners to jointly establish a common rescue
station:
Provided further that all the existing rescue stations as on the date of ;coming into force of these
rule, shall continue to function for a period of three years from that date.
(2) At every rescue station there shall be appointed one Superintendent and at least two
instructions and also, there shall be maintained a rescue brigade of not less tan eighteen rescue
trained persons.
(3) In case where the absence of the Superintendent at a rescue station exceeds 60 days, the
owner shall appoint another Superintendent.
(4)The owner shall, within seven days from the date of assumption or relinquishment of charge
by the Superintendent , inform the Chief Inspector and ;the Inspector in-charge of the region
where the mine is situated (hereinafter referred to as Regional Inspector) in Form I.
4. Functions of rescue stations:- The functions of rescue station shall include:-
(i) imparting initial training in rescue and recovery work;
(ii) imparting refresher training to rescue trained persons;
(iii) providing support by its own rescue teams and equipment in case of major accidents or
longlasting rescue and recovery operations; and
(iv) carrying out the functions of rescue room in respect of these below ground mines where
there is no rescue room.
5.Establishment and location of rescue rooms:- (1) At every below ground mine where, more
than 100 persons are ordinarily employed below ground and there is no rescue station within its
radius of 35 kms. The owner, shall establish and ;maintain on surface close to mine entrance a
rescue room:
Provided that it may be sufficient to provide one rescue room for a number of mines belonging to
the same owner where:-
(a) the total number of persons ordinarily employed in below ground workings of all such mines
does not exceed 5000; and
(b) The mines are situated radius of 35 kms. From and connected by road with the rescue room :
Provided further that the Chief Inspector may permit the owner of a group of mines having the
total number of persons ordinarily employed below ground in excess of 5000, to use the rescue
room as a rescue station excepting the functions of imparting initial training in rescue work, if
such rescue room is :-
(a) equipped with requisite additional rescue apparatus including at least 15 extra sets of two
hour self- contained breathing apparatus; and
(b) placed under the charge of a person holding the qualifications prescribed under rule 8 and a
minimum of five rescue trained persons of whom at least one shall hold the qualifications
prescribed under rule 10, are posted thereat.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1) in the case of below ground coal mines
having a fiery seam or gassy seam of second or third degree, the Chief Inspector may, for
reasons to be recorded in writing require the owner to establish and maintain a rescue room
irrespective of the number of persons ordinarily employed below ground therein.
(3)At each rescue room, there shall be appointed such number of rescue trained persons as may
be necessary and one of them possessing the qualifications specified in rule 10 shall be made
incharge of the rescue room. At least one rescue trained person shall always be in attendance at
the rescue room.
6. Functions of rescue room:- A rescue room shall provide facilities for the storage, assembly,
testing and adjustments of breathing apparatus and other rescue equipment and apparatus and for
their speedy transport to mines.
7. Qualifications, experience etc. of Superintendent:- After coming into force of these rules, no
person shall be appointed as Superintendent unless he:-
(j) is a rescue trained person ;
(ii) has 5 years practical experience of below ground work in mines; and
(iii) holds a First Class Manager’s Certificate of a type not restricted to open cast workings.
8. Qualifications, experience etc., of Instructors:- After; the coming into force of these rules no
person shall be appointed as Instructor unless he:-
(i) is a rescue trained person;
(ii) has 3 years practical experience of blow ground work in mines; and
(iii) holds a Manager’s certificate of a type not restricted to open cast workings.
9. Selection of rescue trained persons for posting at rescue stations:- (1) After coming into force
of these rules the rescue trained persons for posting at a rescue station shall be selected, from
amongst the rescue trained persons employed in mines served by the rescue station, by the
Superintendent in consultation with the managers of such mines.
(2) A person selected under sub-rule (1) shall be posted for not less than one year and not more
than five years at a rescue station at any one time.
10. Qualifications, experience etc. of rescue room incharge:- No person shall be appointed as
rescue room incharge unless he:-
(i) is a rescue trained person;
(ii) has 3 years practical experience of below ground work in mines ; and
(iii) holds a Manager’s , Overman’s or Foreman’s Certificate of a type not restricted to open
cast workings.
11. Equipments:- (1) At every rescue station there shall be provided and maintained for
immediate use, apparatus and equipment as specified in Schedule I.
(2) At every rescue room there shall be provided and maintained for immediate use, apparatus
and equipment as specified in Schedule II.
(3)At a below ground mine, where no rescue room is located, apparatus and equipment as
specified in Schedule III, shall be maintained at the entrance of such mine.
(4)Self- contained breathing apparatus provided at a rescue station and that at rescue rooms
under it shall be of the same type and make.
(5)The following apparatus and equipments provided in pursuance of sub-rules (1), (2) and (3),
shall be of a type or standard approved by the Chief Inspector, namely:-
(a) breathing apparatus;
(b) smoke helmets and apparatus serving the same purpose;
(c) reviving apparatus;
(d) electric safety lamps and flame safety lamps;
(e) gas detector; and
(f) self rescuers.
(6) All breathing apparatus and every flow meter shall be adjusted; and tested and the purity of
oxygen for use in breathing apparatus shall be tested in such manners as are laid down in
Schedule IV.
(7)In case of an accident in a below ground mine arising out of the use of any rescue apparatus, a
written report thereof shall be sent, within 24 hours of such accident, by the manager of the mine
to the Chief Inspector and Regional Inspector in Form II appended to mines rules.
(8)In case of an accident in a rescue station or rescue room arising out of the use of any rescue
apparatus a written report thereof shall be sent , within 24 hours of such accident, by the
Superintendent to the Chief Inspector and Regional Inspector in Form II aforesaid.
(9)No absorbent charges, chemicals, self-rescuer and gas detector tubes shall be kept at al rescue
station, rescue room or below ground mine for use beyond the expiry date, which shall be legibly
marked on the boxes thereof.

CHAPTER III
Duties and responsibilities of superintendents etc.
12.Duties and responsibilities of Superintendent.- (1) The Superintendent shall be in overall
control of the rescue station and the rescue rooms served by such rescue station.
(2)The Superintendent shall ensure that all the rescue equipment and apparatus kept at the rescue
station, rescue rooms and at the entrance of the below ground mines under his control are-
(a) maintained in perfect working order;
(b) inspected by Instructors at specified intervals; and
(c) tests are conducted and adjustments are made.
(3)The Superintendent shall ensure that adequate stock of spare parts and supplies are kept for
maintaining rescue equipment and apparatus in perfect working order.
(4)The Superintendent shall countersign the records maintained under sub-rule (1) of rule 13.
(5)The Superintendent shall ensure that persons selected for initial training and those undergoing
refresher training receive the prescribed course of instructions and practices and are issued the
credit certificates for the same.
(6)The Superintendent shall make periodical inspection rescue rooms and the apparatus and
equipment under his control.
(7)In the event of an emergency at a below ground mine, Superintendent shall perform such
rescue and recovery work as may be assigned to him by the manager or in his absence by the
principal official present at the surface. He shall within three days of completion of the rescue or
recovery work send a report thereof to the Regional Inspector or the Chief Inspector.
(8)The Superintendent shall maintain in a bound paged book a diary and shall record therein the
results of each of his inspections and also the action taken by him to rectify the defects observed
during inspection.
(9)The Superintendent shall submit to the Chief Inspector and to the Regional Inspector detailed
report on the functioning of the rescue station and rescue rooks under his control in the preceding
year on or before the 20thl day of February of the succeeding year with particular reference to :-
(a) type and number of equipment and apparatus provided and maintained;
(b) Superintendent, instructors, rescue room Incharge and rescue brigades in position, as on the
31st December;
(c) Number of rescue trained persons at each below ground mine served by the rescue station
and number of such persons given refresher practices and medically examined, with results
thereof;
(d) Particulars of emergencies attended;
(e) Any other relevant matter.

13.Duties of Instructors:- (1) Under the direction of Superintendent the Instructor shall-
(a) impart course of instructions and practices to persons selected for training in rescue and
recovery work as well as to rescue trained persons and maintain a record thereof; and
(b) make inspection, test and adjustment of rescue equipment and apparatus and maintain a
record thereof.
(2)In the event an emergency at a below ground mine, Instructors shall perform such rescue and
recovery work as may be assigned to him by the manager or in his absence by the principal
official present
at the surface.
(3)Instructor shall not leave the rescue station without prior permission of the Superintendent.
(4)In the absence of the Superintendent, the Instructor shall be incharge of the rescue station.
14.Duties and responsibilities of rescue room incharge:- Every rescue room incharge shall-
(a) display prominently a list of mines served by his rescue room;
(b) maintain the equipment and apparatus kept at the rescue room in perfect ;order;
(c) maintain a proper record of all rescue equipment and apparatus kept at the rescue room and
inspection thereof; and
(d) not allow any unauthorised person; to enter into, or permit any unauthorised person to take
out any apparatus or equipment from the rescue room.
15.Duties of rescue trained persons posted at rescue station:- The rescue trained person shall-
(a) obey order of the Superintendent and Instructor and assist them in discharge of their
functions;
(b) attend to messages, telephone calls and wireless and maintain record thereof;
(c) maintain the rescue station in neat and tidy condition;
(d) maintain the equipment and apparatus kept at the rescue station in perfect order;
(e) perform rescue and recovery work in mines; and
(f) not leave rescue station without obtaining permission from the Superintendent.
16.Duties of rescue room attendant :- Every rescue room attendant shall-
(a) not leave the rescue room until relieved by a substitute;
(b) not allow any unauthorised person to enter in or to take out any apparatus or equipment from
the rescue room;
(c) attend to telephone calls and maintain a record thereof;
(d) maintain the rescue room in neat and tidy condition; and
(e) obey orders of the rescue room incharge and assist him in discharge of his functions.
CHAPTER IV
Organisation and equipment in mines
17.Telephone Communication – Every mine shall be connected telephonically with the rescue
room and rescue station serving the mine. Wherever practicable wireless communication shall
also be provided:
Provided that where there is no telephonic communication system, the Chief Inspector may by an
order in writing and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein, approve any other
means of communication.
18.Rescue tracings:- There shall be kept at a below ground mine, more than three legible tracings
of the working of the mine upto a date not before three preceding months. The tracing shall show
the system of ventilation in the mine, and in particulars, the general direction of air current, every
point where the quantity of air is measured, every air-crossing, ventilation-door stopping, booster
fan and any other principal device for regulation and distribution of air, fire-dams, preparatory
stoppings , every fire-fighting equipment, every water-dam with dimensions and other particulars
of construction, every pumping, telephone and ambulance station, every room used for storing
inflammable material, reserve stations and every haulage and travelling roadway.
19.Appointment of rescue trained persons in mines, their disposition and accommodation:- (1)
The manager of a below ground mine, where more than 100 persons are ordinarily employed
below ground, shall ensure that at least 5 rescue trained persons are readily available at surface at
any time.
(2)The manager of a below ground mine, where more than 500 persons are ordinarily employed
below ground , shall also ensure that persons on a scale of one man for every 100 persons or part
thereof are rescue trained persons.
(3)It shall be the responsibility of the owner to provide suitable accommodation:-
(i) close to the rescue station to the Superintendent, Instructors and members of rescue
brigade;
(ii) close to rescue room to rescue room incharge rescue trained persons and attendants
attached to it; and
(iii) close to below ground mine entrance to rescue trained persons other than those specified
in ( i ) and (ii).
(4)There shall be provided at a below ground mine effective bell or other arrangements, as may
be approved by the Regional Inspector , for immediate summoning of rescue trained persons.
20.Selection of persons for training in rescue work:- No person shall be selected for training in
rescue work, unless:-
(i) he is between 21 and 30 years of age and holds a valid First-aid certificate of the
standard of the St. John Ambulance Association (India);
(ii) he is certified by the Manager that he has sufficient underground experience for the
purpose of rescue work;
(iii) he is certified by a qualified medical practitioner, as may be designated by the Manager
after examination in accordance with Schedule VI, to be free from any organic disease or
weakness and to be fit for undertaking rescue work; and
(iv) he is considered by the Superintendent of Rescue Station, after such examination and
interview as he considers necessary , to be suitable for rescue work with breathing apparatus.
21.Instructions and practices etc.-(1) Every person selected for training in rescue work shall
undergo the course of instructions and practices as set out in Part I of Schedule VII until he has
passed and has; been certified as efficient by the Superintendent .
(2) Rescue trained person shall undergo practices and receive instructions as set out in Part II of
Schedule VII.
(3)A record shall be kept at every rescue station of all persons undergoing practices and
receiving instructions. Such record shall contain:-
(i) the date and the character of each practice:
(ii) the condition of each person after the practice, and if anything abnormal was observed in
his condition, whether it was due to a defect of the apparatus or to that person ;and
(iii) any other relevant information.
22.Medical examination etc. of rescue trained person:- Every rescue trained person shall be
reexamined once at least in every twelve months by a qualified medical practitioner as may be
designated by the manager in accordance with Schedule VI, and in case he is declared medically
unfit, he shall cease to be a rescue trained person with effect from the date he has been so
declared.
23.Suspension of rescue trained persons:- If in the opinion of the owner, agent, manager or an
Inspector a rescue trained person is incompetent or is guilty of negligence or misconduct in the
performance of his duties, the owner, agent, manager or Inspector as the case may be, may after
giving such person an opportunity to give a written explanation, suspend him from or debar him
for, undertaking any rescue and recovery work.

CHAPTER V
Conduct of rescue work
24.Duties of Manager etc. in emergency:- (1) On receiving information of any emergency likely
to require the services of a rescue team, the manager, or in his absence the Principal Official
present at the surface, shall immediately:-
(a) inform the rescue room or the rescue stations serving the mine for necessary assistance;
(b) summon rescue trained person employed in the mine;
(c) inform the owner, agent or manager of nearby mines to make available the services of rescue
trained persons employed therein: if so required;
(d) inform the rescue station about the nature of the occurrence; stating whether assistance would
be needed from the rescue station;
(e) summon medical assistance; and
(f) send information of the occurrence to the Regional Inspector.
(2)All rescue and recovery work at a below ground mine shall be conducted under the control,
direction and supervision of the manager of the mine or in his absence the principal official
present at the surface.
Provided that in the event of a major emergency, such as ignition, explosion , big underground
fire or an accident involving a number of persons, the manager or the principal official shall, in
taking decisions regarding rescue and recovery operations, take guidance from a ground
consisting of a Senior Official of the management a representative each from the Director
General of Mines Safety, concerned rescue station and the recognised Union of the Workers, so
however that he must take necessary decisions and direct the operations as the situation warrants,
without waiting for the constitution or deliberations of the said group.
25.Accommodation at the below ground mine for persons engaged in rescue work:- Whenever
rescue trained persons are engaged in rescue or recovery work at a below ground mine, thee shall
be provided at such mine suitable accommodation for storage and charging of apparatus required
for that work. Such accommodation shall be situated at a convenient place near the entrance in
use, and shall be properly ventilated and lighted. Adequate quantity of cool and wholesale
drinking water shall be provided at such accommodation; and proper canteen facilities shall also
be provided for the rescue workers.
26.Entry into below ground mines for rescue or recovery work:- (1) No person shall be allowed
to enter a below ground mine or part thereof which is unsafe for the purpose of engaging in
rescue or recovery work, unless authorised by the manager or in his absence by the principal
official of the mine present at the surface. Only rescue trained persons shall be permitted to enter
the mine for the purpose of using self contained breathing apparatus.
(2)During the Course of rescue or recovery work, person or persons shall be stationed at the
entrance to the below ground mine and shall keep a written record of all persons entering and
leaving such mine, and the time thereof.
27.Fresh air bases:- (1) As soon as possible, base or bases shall be established in fresh air, as
near to the irrespirable zone or zones as safety permits, Every such base shall, if possible be
connected by telephone:
(i) if the base is below ground to the surface ; or
(ii) if the base is on the surface, to the shaft bottom.
(2)Except in cases where the delay involved may result in danger to life, rescue trained persons
shall not proceed beyond any place where a base is to be established until there have been
provided at such base:-
(a) two persons, of whom one shall be a qualified medical practitioner if practicable, and other
shall be a rescue trained person;
(b) a spare team; with rescue apparatus, ready for immediate service;
(c) one or more reviving apparatus, oxygen revivers etc,
(d) first aid box and stretcher,
(e) means of testing for carbon monoxide;
(f) a hygrometer; and
(g) two flame safety lamp.
(3)Whenever men are already at work beyond the fresh air base, there shall be provided at the
base as soon as possible the persons, apparatus and equipments specified sub –rule (2)
28.Leader:- Every rescue team engaged in work with breathing apparatus in a mine shall be
under a leader who shall be appointed by the Superintendent.
29.Instructions to leader:- Prior to sending a rescue team underground, the Superintendent or a
person authorised by him shall give clear instructions to the leader of the team as to where it
shall go and what it shall attempt.
30.Test of apparatus:- Before proceeding below ground the leader shall test or witness the testing
of self-contained breathing apparatus of the team for leakage. No such apparatus shall be used
unless it is found safe. He shall check the equipment of his party, and immediately before
entering irrespirable atmosphere shall make sure that all breathing apparatus are working
properly.
31.Duties of leader below ground : (1) The leader shall not engage in mnual work. He shall give
his attention solely to directing the team and to maintaining its safety. He shall examine the roof
and supports during the journey, and if there is any liklihood of fall at any place along the
roadway, shall not proceed further until the team has made the place secure.
(2)The leader shall keep the team together and shall not allow any member of the team to stray.
(3).If the atmosphere is clear, the leaderl shall, when passing the junction of two or more
readways, clerly indicatethe route by means of arrow marks in chalk. If the atmosphere is
obscure, the leader shall see that a life line is lead in from the fresh air base, and shall not allow
any member of the team to move out of reach of that line; or, if that course is impracticable, he
shall not proceed until every roadway branching of from the route is fenced across the whole
opening.
(4).When using rescue apparatus, the leader shall carry a watch, shall record the presssure of the
compressed oxygen at intervals of 20 minutes or so, and shall commence the return journey in
ample time. During travelling he shall adopt the pace of slowest member, if any member of the
team is in distress, shall immediately return to the fresh air base with the whole team.
(5).The leader shall not permit any meber of the team using breathing apparatus in a mine to
remain at work at any onel time for a period longer than one and half hours or such other period
as may be specified by the Chief Inspector in respect of the breathing apparatus being used.
32.Rescue team members and their duties:- (1) The number of persons in any rescue team using
breathing apparatus in a mine shall not be less than five not morel than six, including the leader.
(2).In case there is no provision in any of the breathing apparatus caried by the rescue team for a
extension for supply of oxygen to another person inan emergency, the team shall carry a self
rescuer.
(3).Members of rescue team shall in general, use the signals prescribed in Schedule VIII in
communicating to one another.
(4).In travelling with rescue apparatus on, every member of the team shall keep the place given
to him when numbering off. If the pace is too quick orif distress is felt, the mber shall at once
call attention to the fact.
(5).Every member of a rescue team engaged in work with breathing apparatus in amine shall
obey the order of the leader of the team.
33.Restriction of second spell of works:- No person shall commence a second or ;subsequent
spell of work in irrespirable atmosphere without being examined and found fit by a qualified
medical practitioner.

CHAPTER VI
Miscellaneous
34.Obligation of owner, agent and manager in certain situations:- Whenever emergency arises at
a below ground mine, whether served by a rescue room or rescue station or not, the owner, agent
or manager may seek assistance or additional assistance as the case may be from the nearest
rescue room or rescue station and in such an event:-
(a) all possible assistance shall be promptly rendered by the rescue room or rescue station; and
(b) the owner of the mine shall pay to the owner of the rescue station or rescue room, rendering
such assistance, the full cost of rescue services and facilities borrowed.
35.General management:- It shall be the responsibility of the owner to establish, maintain and
ensure proper functioning of rescue room or rescue station as required under these rules, to
appoint Superintendent, instructors, rescue room incharge, rescue trained persons, and to provide
necessary rescue equipment and apparatus as may be necessary for compliance with the
provisions of these rules.
36.Inspections:- (1) The Chief Inspector or other Inspector, authorised by him in his behalf or the
Regional Inspector may enter, inspect and examine any rescue station and rescue room and make
such examination or inquiry as he thinks fit in order to ascertain whether the provisions of these
rules and of any orders made thereunder are being complied with.
(2).When the below ground mines served by a rescue station or rescue room fall under the
jurisdiction of two or more Regional Inspectors, the Chief Inspector may authorise any one of
them for enforcement of these rules.
37.Power to relax:- Where in the opinion of the Chief Inspector, the conditions pertaining to a
mine or rescue station or rescue room are such as to render compliance with any provisions
contained in these rules, unnecessary or impracticable, he may by an order in writing and subject
to such conditions as he may specify therein grant exemption from the said provisions.
38.Repeal and saving :- (1) The Coal Mines Rescue Rules, 1959 are hereby repealed.
(2).Not withstanding such repeal anything done or any action taken under the said rules shall be
deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of these rules.
Module 3
SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS AND BYE-LAWS
Standing Order in the event of Fire and Water

119. Precautions against Fire – (1) (a) No oil, grease, canvas or other inflammable material shall
be stored in any mine except in a fire-proof receptacle. Greasy or oily waste in workings
belowground, shall be regularly remo ved to the surface.
(b) No person shall place or throw, or cause or permit to be placed or thrown, any naked light or
lamp or ‘cheesa stick’ or kai-piece’ on or near any timber, wooden structure or other combustible
material.
© Where explosives are used in blasting any timber forming part of stulls, sets and chutes
sufficient water shall be applied to the timber both before and after firing a shot.
(2) (a) All surface structures and supports within a horizontal distance of 10 metres from all
entrances to a mine shall be of incombustible material :
Provided that this clause shall not apply to temporary structures, supports and coverings at the
top of a shaft or winze which is in the course of being sunk an to the small lid of a shaft-covering
operated by the rope cappel.
(b) Dead leaves or dry vegetation shall not be allowed to accumulate or remain, and combustible
materials other than material required for use within a period of 24 hours, and inflammable
materials, shall not be stored within a distance of 15 metres from any entrance to a mine, which
is not effectively sealed off from the workings belowground.
(c) No person shall light a fire or permit a fire to be lighted on the surface within a distance of 15
metres from any entrance to a mine, except by an order I writing of the manager and only for a
special purpose specified in such order. All such orders shall be recorded in a bound paged book
kept for the purpose:
Provided that this clause shall not apply to boilers other than vertical boilers.
(3) (a) Except with the previous permission in writing of the Regional Inspector and subject to
such conditions as he may specify therein, no timber or other combustible material shall be used
I the construction of or in connection with, any shaft lining or any room housing any machinery
or apparatus belowgsround.
(b) Wood cuttings shall not be left in any working belowgroud, but shall be removed to the
surface at the end of every shift.
©No person shall light a fire or permit a fire to be lighted in any workings belowground :
Provided that –
(i) in the case of a mine to which regulation 142 does not apply, flame or electric welding or
repairing apparatus may be used belowground if permitted by a order in writing of the manager
or assistant manager or underground manager. Every such order shall specify person who shall
be in charge of the apparatus; and it shall be the duty of such person to bring the apparatus back
to the surface when no longer required belowgsround; and
(ii) in the case of a mine to where the provisions of regulation 142 apply, a flame or electric
welding or repairing apparatus may be used belowground if prior permission in writing has been
obtained from the Regional Inspector and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein.
(d) No person shall leave a portable light or lamp belowground unless he has placed it incharge
of some other person remaining therein.
(e) At the end of a shift, unless the mine is worked by a continuous succession of shifts, after
all persons have left the mine, all lights shall be extinguished and all power cut off :
Provided that nothing in this clause shall be deemed to prohibit the running of a mechanical
ventilator or auxiliary fan belowground after the shift is over.
(f) Proper provision shall be made to prevent an outbreak of fire or spontaneous heating
belowground or the spread of fire to the mine from any adjoining mine; and adequate steps shall
be taken to control or isolate any such fire or heating that may occur. Where in the opinion of the
Regional Inspector the provisions of this clause have not been complied with or the steps so
taken are inadequate, he may, by an order in writing,
require such aditional precautions or steps to be taken within such time as he may specify
therein. If any such order is not complied with within the specified period, the Regional
Inspector may prohibit until the order has been complied with, the employment in the mine or
part, of any person whose employment is not, in his opinion, necessary for the purpose of
complying with the order.
120. Precautions after a fire has broken out – (1) (a) On the appearance in any part of a mine of
smoke or other signs indicating that a fire or spontaneous heating has or may have broken out, all
persons other than those whose presence in the mine is deemed necessary for dealing with the
fire or heating shall be immediately withdrawn from the mine. No person, other than those
required for dealing with or sealing off the fire or heating, shall be admitted in the mine until the
fire or heating has been extinguished or effectively sealed off and an examination has been made
by the manager or by the assistant manager or underground manager and the mine has been
declared to be safe. A report of every such examination shall be recorded in a bound paged book
kept for the purpose and shall be signed and dated by the person making the examination :
Provided that the Regional Inspector may, by an order in writing and subject to such conditions
as he may specify therein, permit the employment in the mine, of persons other than those
required to deal with the fire or heating.
(b) The examination required by clause (a) shall be made with a cage contain in suitable birds or
other means of detecting carbon monoxide gas approved by the Chief Inspector.
(2) During the whole time that any work of dealing with or sealing off a fire or heating
belowground is in progress –
(a) a competent person shall be present on the spo0t throughout.
(b) There shall be available, at or near the place, two smoke helmets or other suitable apparatus
for use in emergency; and
(c) A cage containing suitable birds or other means of detecting carbon monoxide gas approved
by the Chief Inspector shall be kept at all places where persons are employed.

121. Equipment for free-fighting – (1) a sufficient supply of sand or in combustible dust or
sufficient portable fire extinguishers shall be provided at every entrance to a mine, at every
landing and the bottom of every shaft or winze in use, at every engine room and at every other
place where timber, canvas, grease, oil or other infalmmable material is stored.
(2) At every mine, the following provisions shall be made for dealing with any fire or heating
belowground –
(a) A sufficient supply of sand or incombustible dust or sufficient portable are extinguishers shall
be kept at suitable places at the entrance to every district; and
(b) In every mine employing 100 persons or more belowground on any one day in that of the
previous year -\
(i) where pipes containing water under pressure are available, an adequate number of tape, not
more than 120 metres apart, shall be provided on such pipes, Hose-pipes not less than 60 metres
in length and the necessary fittings shall be provided.
(ii) Portalbe water tanks fitted with hand pressure pumps and hose-pipes not less than 60
metres in length and the necessary fittings shall be pro vided.
(3)(a) Soda acid type extinguishers or water shall not be used for fighting oil or electrical fires.
(b)Foam type extinguishers shall not be used for fighting electrical fires.
(c) Fire extinguishers containing chemicals which are liable, when operated, or give off
poisonous or noxious gases, shall not be provided or used belowground :
Provided that nothing in this clause shall be deemed to prohibit the use belowground of fire
extinguishers giving off carbon dioxide when operated.
(9) A competent person shall, once at least in every three months, examine every fire –
extinguisher so provided, and shall discharge and refill it as often as may be necessary to ensure
that it is in proper working order. A report of every such examination or refilling shall be kept in
a bound paged book kept for the purpose, and shall be signed and dated by the person making the
examination or refilling.

123. Precautions when a fire exists belowground . – (1) In every mine in which a fire of
spontaneous heating exists in workings belowground (whether such fire has been isolated by
means of suitable seals or not), no work whatsoever shall be done in any part or section adjacent
to the part or section on fire or believed to be on fire, except with the permission in writing of the
Chief Inspector and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein.
(2) In every mine to which sub-regulation (1) and regulation 142 apply, arrangements shall be
made, once at least in every 30 days, to ascertain the atmospheric conditions behind the seals of
an area of old workings or a fire or spontaneous heating unless such seals are capable of resisting
the force of an explosion :
Provided that the Chief Inspector may, by an order in writing and subject to such conditions as
he may specify therein, exempt any mine or part thereof from the operation of this sub-regulation
where in his opinion special difficulties exist which make compliance with provisions thereof not
reasonably practicable.
(4) (a) Every seal erected to isolate or control a fire or spontaneous heating belowground shall be
numbered, and shall be of adequate strength and shall be so maintained as to prevent any leakage
of air or gas through it. Where water is likely to accumulate behind any such stopping, there shall
be provided in the stopping a suitable pipe or other device to drain away the water without
permitting any leakage or air or gas etc.
(b) where in any mine or part thereof the provisions of clause (a) have not been complied with or
where in the opinion of the Regional Inspector the steps so taken are inadequate, he may give
notice in writing to the owner, agent or manager requiring him to take such protective measures,
within such time, as he may specify therein. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of
the notice, the Regional Inspector may, by an order in writing, prohibit until the requirements of
the notice have been complied with to his satisfaction, the employment in the mine or part, of
any person whose employment is not, in his opinion, necessary for the purpose of complying
with the requirements aforesaid.
(4)A competent person shall, once at least in every seven days, inspect all seals erected to isolate
or control a fire or spontaneous heating belowground. During every such inspection, he shall
ascertain the general condition of every seal, check it for leakage and presence of gas and
ascertain the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere outbye the seal. For every seal, he
shall place his signature, with date, on a check-board provided for the purpose at a suitable
position on the seal; and this record shall be maintained for a period of not less than three months
A report of every such inspection shall also be recorded in a bound paged book kept for the
purpose an shall be signed and dated by the person making the inspection :
Provided that the Regional Inspector may, by an order in writing, require such inspection to be
made at such shorter intervals as he may specify therein.

127. Danger from surface water – (1) Where any mine or part thereof is so situated that there is
any danger of inrush of surface water into the mine or part, adequate protection against such
inrush shall be provided and maintained. If any dispute arises as to whether such protection is
adequate or not, it shall be referred to the Chief Inspector for decision.
(2) No workings shall be made in any mine vertically below –
(a) any part of any river, canal, lake, tank or other surface reservoir; or bank of a river or canal or
from the boundary of a lake, tank or other surface reservoir; except with the permission in
writing of the Chief Inspector and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein.
(3) Every application for permission under sub-regulation
(2) shall be accompanied by two copies of a plan and section showing the existing position of
the workings of the mine, the proposed layout of workings, the depth of the workings from the
surface, the position and depth of any stoped -out area in the neighborhood, all faults and other
geological disturbances and such other particulars as may affect the safety of the mine or of the
persons employed therein.
Explanation. – Where sand or alluvium are lying in the course of a river, canal, lake, tank or
reservoir, the depth from the surface shall be reckoned from the surface of hard ground
underlying such sand or alluvium.
128. Danger from underground inundation. – (1) Proper provision shall be made in every mine to
prevent irruption of water other liquid matter from the workings of the same mine or of an
adjoining mine.
(2) (a) No working which has approached withi a distance of 60 metres of any disused or
abandoned workins (not being workings which have been examined and found to be free from
accumulation of water or other liquid matter), whether in the same mine or in an adjoining mine,
shall be extended further except with the prior permission in writing of the Chief Inspector and
subject to such conditions as he may specify therein :
Provided that if any heavy seepage of water is noticed in any working approaching, but not
within 60 metres of, any such disused or abandoned working, such working shall be immediately
stopped, an the Chief Inspector and the Regional Inspector shall forthwith be informed about the
occurrence. The workings shall not be extended further except with the prior permission in
writing of the Chief Inspector ad subject to such conditions as he may specify therein.
Explanation. – For the purpose of this sub-regulation, the distance between the said workings
shall man the shortest distance between the said workings measured in any direction whether
horizontal vertical or inclined.
(b)Every application for permission under clause (a) shall be accompanied by two copies of a
plan and section showing the outline of such disused or abandoned workings in relation to the
workings which are approaching the said workings and such other information as may be
available in respect of the said workings.
(c) Except where otherwise permitted by the Chief Inspector by an order in writing and subject to
such conditions as he may specify therein, no such working shall exceed two metres in width or
height; and there shall be maintained at least one bore-hole near the center of the working face,
and sufficient flank holes on each side and where necessary , bore- holes above and below the
workings, at intervals of not more than five metres. All such bore-holes shall be, an shall be
constantly maintained, at sufficient distance in advance of the working and such distance shall in
no case be less than three metres. These precautions shall be carried out under the direct
supervision of a competent person specially authorised for the purpose.
(d) The precautions laid down in clause © shall also be observed in any other working where any
heavy seepage of water is noticed whether approaching disused or abandoned workings or not.

129. International flooding . (1) When the owner, agent or manager intends or proposed, by
introducing water from the surface or from any other part of the mine or from an adjacent mine,
to flood any part of the workings of his mine, he shall give in writing not less than 14 days’
notice of such intention or proposal to the Chief Inspector and the Regional Inspector and to the
management of all adjoining mines and of such other mines as might be affected by such
flooding.
Provided that the Regional Inspector may, be an order in writing and subject to such conditions
as he may specify therein, permit such operations to be commenced on any day prior to the
expiry of the said 14 days: Provided further that the Regional Inspector may, by an order in
writing, either prohibit any such operation or require that such operation shall not be commenced
until such precautions as he may specify therein, have been taken to his satisfaction.
Explanation. – For the purposes of this sub-regulation, a mine shall have the meaning assigned to
it under regulation 33. (2) If the operations in respect of which notice is given under sub -
regulation (1), are not commenced within 60 days from the expiry of the said 14 days, the notice
shall be deemed to have lapsed and the provision of the sub - regulation(1) shall apply as if no
such notice had been given.
130. Construction of a reservoir, dam or other structure. – (1) Where in any mine it is intended to
construct a reservoir, dam or other structure to withstand a pressure of water or other material
which will flow when wet, or to control an inrush of water (other than a reservoir, dam or
structure for storing small quantities of water) the owner, agent or manager shall give in writing
not less than 14 days notice of such intention to the Regional |Inspector. Every such notice shall
be accompanied by two copies of plans and sections showing the design and other details of the
proposed construction.
Provided that where the safety of the mine or of the persons employed therein is seriously
threatened, the provisions of this regulation shall be deemed to have been complied with if the
said notice is given to the Regional Inspector as soon as the work of construction is commenced :
Provided further that where such a reservoir, dam or other structure was constructed before the
coming into force of these regulations, the said copies of the plans and sections shall be
submitted to the Regional Inspector within three months of the coming into force of these
regulations. Where these details are not available, the Regional Inspector shall be informed of the
fact within the aforesaid period.
(2) The Regional Inspector may, by an order in writing, require such modification or alternations
to be made by the design of any such reservoir, dam or structure as he may specify therein.
132. Mechanical ventilators and their fittings. – (1) Every mechanical ventilator shall be installed
in a fireproof hous ing situated at a safe distance from the opening, shaft or winze; and every
mechanical ventilator, other than an auxiliary fan, shall be so designed an maintained that the
current of air can be reversed when necessary.
(2) In every mine to which regulation 142 applies, if electricity is used for driving the
mechanical ventilator, current shall be supplied to the drive motor of the ventilator through a
separate circuit room the main distribution point of the mine.
(3) There shall be provided an maintained at every main mechanical ventilator –
(a) a suitable pressure-recording gauge or water gauge; and
(b) except where the ventilator is driven by a constant speed drive, a recording instrument by
which the speed of the ventilator shall be continuously registered.
(4) At ever y shaft or winze ordinarily used for lowering or raising of persons or material, where
a mechanical ventilator is installed, there shall be provided a properly constructed air- lock.
Provided that unless the Regional Inspector so requires by an order in writing, the provision of
this sub-regulation shall not apply to a shaft or winze where a mechanical ventilator was installed
before the coming into force of these regulations.
(5) The flow of air produced by a mechanical ventilator shall, as far as practicable, be so
arranged as to aid the natural ventilation.
(6) Every mechanical ventilator shall be in charge of a competent person appointed for the
purpose, who shall not be entrusted with any other additional duties which may require him to go
outside the fan house or which may interfere with his duties as incharge of the mechanical
ventilator.
(7) In every mine in which a mechanical ventilator is in use, the quantity of air circulating in
every ventilating district shall be measure once at least in every 30 days and recorded in a bound
paged book kept for the purpose.

133. Standing Orders. – (1) For the purpose of ventilation, every mine shall be divided into such
number of districts or splits as to ensure that separate current of fresh air is made available in
every such district or split.
(2) The intake air shall be so arranged as to travel away from all stagnant water.
(3) In any mine or part where a mechanical ventilator is used, every drive, crosscut, winze or rise
hich is a connection between a main intake airway and a main return airway shall, until it has
ceased to be required and has been sealed off, be provided with at least two doors so spaced that
whenever one door is opened, the other door can be kept closed. Steps shall be taken or ensure
that at least one of the doors is always closed. Any such connection which has ceased to be so
required, shall be effectively sealed.
135. Brattices, doors, stoppings ad aircrossings. - (1) There shall be provided ad maintained in
every mine such number of stoppings , doors and other devices as may be adequate to ensure
compliance with the provision of regulations 131. If any doubt arises as to the adequacy of such
ventilation devices, it shall be referred to the Chief Inspector for decision.
(2) (a) The space between the frame or every ventilation door and the roof and sides of the road,
shall be built up with masonry or concrete, not less than 25 centimetres in thickness.
(b)Every such door shall be self-closing; and whenever opened, it shall be closed as soon as
possible, and shall not be propped or fixed so as to remain open.
(c) If such door is required to be frequently kept open for the passage of men or material, there
shall be, throughout every working shift, a door attendant at the door.
(d) Unless required for purposes of control of fire or otherwise, if a door is not in use, it shall be
taken off its hinges and placed in such a position that it shall not cause any obstruction to the air
current.
(3)(a) Every stopping between the main intake and main return airways shall be constructed of
masonry or brickwork, not less than 25 centimetres in thickness or such greater thickness as may
be required by the Regional Inspector, and shall be faced with a sufficient thickness of lime or
cement plaster to prevent leakage of air.
(c) Every stopping in use shall be kept accessible for inspection.
(4) The partitions and walls of every air-crossing shall be not less than 25 centimetres in
thickness if constructed or masonry or of concrete not properly reinforced, and not less than 15
centimeters in thickness if constructed of properly reinforced concrete.
(5) Every air-crossing, ventilation stopping, door or brattice shall be maintained in efficient
working order and good repair.
(6) A competent person shall, once atleast in every 30 days, examine every airway, air crossing,
ventilation stopping and door in use, an shall record the result thereof in a bound paged book
kept for the purpose, and shall sign the same and date his signature.

136. Auxiliary fans.- (1) Every auxiliary fan :

(a) shall be installed, located and worked in such a manner that –
(i) a sufficient quantity of air shall, at all times, reach it so as to ensure that it does not re-
circulate air; and
(ii) there is no risk of the air which it circulates being contaminated by any substantial quantity
of inflammable or noxious gases or dust; and
(b) shall have an air-duct for conducting the air to or from the face or blind end; and such air-
duct shall be so maintained as to minimise any leakage or air and to ensure an adequate supply of
air to within 4.5 metres of the face or blind end.
(2) No auxiliary fan shall be started, stopped, removed, replace or in any way altered or
interfered with, except by or on the authority of an official.
(3) No person shall enter or remain in any place which is dependent for its ventilation on an
auxiliary fan, unless such fan is operating efficiently. Whenever the ventilation of any such place
has been interrupted, whether by the stoppage of the fan or otherwise, no person shall so enter or
remain therein, except for the purpose of restoring the ventilation, unless the place has been
examined by a competent person and declared safe.

BYE-LAWS ON BULK TRANSPORTATION OF EXPLOSIVES

164A. Transport of explosives in bulk – Where explosives are transported in bulk for deep hole
blasting the provisions of this regulation shall apply.
(1) Transport of explosives from the magazine to the priming station or the site of blasting shall
not be done except in day light and in the original wooden or card board packing case. The
quantity of explosive transported at one time to the site of blasting shall not exceed the actual
quantity required for use in one round of shots. The explosives shall be transported to the site of
blasting not more than 30 minutes before the commencement of charging of the holes.
(2)(a) No mechanically propelled vehicle shall be used for the transport of explosives unless it is
of a type approved in writing by the Chief Inspector, provided that a Jeep or Land Rover may be
used for the transport of detonators from magazines of priming stations’ subject to all the
following conditions :
(i) not more than 200 detonators are transported in a vehicle at a time;
(ii) the detonators are packed suitably in a wooden box;
(iii) the wooden box containing detonators is placed inside an outer metal case of a construction
approved by the Chief Inspector;
(iv) the outer metal case shall be suitably bolted to the floor of the vehicle or otherwise fixed in a
wooden frame so that the container is not displaced while the vehicle is in motion; and
(v) no person shall ride on the rear portion of the vehicle.
(b) Every vehicle used for the transport of explosives shall be marked or placarded, on both sides
and ends, with the word '‘EXPLOSIVES’ in red letters not less than 15 centimetres high on a
white background.
(c) Every mechanically propelled vehicle transporting explosives shall be provided with not less
than two fire extinguishers (one of Carbon Tetra Chloride type for petroleum fire and the other of
Carbon Dioxide under pressure type for electrical fire) suitably placed for immediate use.
(3)(a) The vehicle used for transport of explosives shall not be overloaded, and in no case shall
the explosive cases be piled higher than the sides of its body.
(b) Explosives and detonators shall not be transported in the same vehicle.
(4)(a) No person other than the driver and his helper (not below 18 years of age) shall ride on a
mechanically propelled vehicle used for the transport of explosives.
(b) A vehicle loaded with explosives shall not be left unattended.
(c) The engine of a vehicle transporting explosives shall be stopped and the brakes set securely
before it is loaded/or unloaded or left standing.
(d) A vehicle transporting explosives shall not be driven at a speed exceeding 25 Kilometres per
hour.
(e) A vehicle loaded with explosives shall not be taken into garage or repair shop and shall not be
parked in a congested place.
(f) A vehicle transporting explosives shall not be refuelled except in emergencies even when its
engine shall be stopped and other precautions taken to prevent accidents.
(g) No trailer shall be attached to a vehicle transporting explosives.
(5)(a) Every vehicle used for the transport of explosives shall be carefully inspected once in
every 24 hours by a competent person, to ensure that :
(i) fire extinguishers are filled and in place;
(ii) the electric wiring is well insulated and firmly secured;
(iii) the chasis, engine and body are clean and free from surplus oil and grease;
(iv) the fuel tank and feed lines are not leaking; and
(v) lights, brakes and steering mechanism are in good working order.
(b) A report of every inspection made under sub-clause (a) shall be recorded in a bound paged
book kept for the purpose and shall be signed and dated by the competent persons making the
inspection.
(6) All operations connected with the transport of explosives shall be conducted under the
personal supervision of an overman solely placed in charge of blasting operations at the mine.
(7) The shotfirer shall personally search every persons engaged in the transport and use of
explosives and shall satisfy himself that no person so engaged has in his possession any cigar,
cigarette, ‘biri’ or other smoking materials or any match or any other apparatus of any kind
capable of producing a light, flame or spark.
BYE-LAWS ON A.C. MAINS FIRING

169. Electric Shotfiring. – Where shots are fired electrically, the following provisions shall have
effect, namely :-
(1) (a) No shot shall be fired except by means of a suitable shotfiring apparatus; an the number of
shots fired at any one time by the apparatus shall not exceed the number for whichit is designed.
(b)Every electrical shotfiring apparatus shall b so constructed and used that –
(i) it can only be operated by a removable handle or plug. This handle or plug shall not be placed
in position until a shot is about to be fired and shall be removed as soon as a shot has been
fired; and
(ii) the firing circuit is made an broken either automatically or by means of a push-button switch.
(c) (i) No apparatus shall be used which is defective; an every apparatus shall be once at least in
every three months, be cleaned an thoroughly overhauled by a competent person.
(ii)If the apparatus fails to fire all the shots in a properly connected circuit, the blaster shall return
the apparatus to the manger or assistant manager or underground manager as soon as possible,
and it shall not be use again unless it has been tested on the surface and found to be in safe
working order.
(iii) The result of every overhaul test or repair is aforesaid shall be recorded in a bound paged
book kept for the purpose an shall be signed an dated by the person making the overhaul, test or
repair.
(2) No current from a signalling, lighting or power circuit shall be used for firing shots.
(3) The blaster shall –
(a) retain the key of the firing apparatus in his possession throughout his shift;
(b) use a well-insulated cable of sufficient length to permit him to take proper shelter, and in no
case, shall this cable be less than 20 meters in length;
(c) before coupling the cable to the firing apparatus, couple up the cable himself to the detonator
leads;
(d) take care to prevent the cable from coming into contact with any power or lighting cable or
other electrical apparatus;
(e) take adequate precautions to protect electrical conductors and apparatus from injury;
(f) himself couple the cable to the firing apparatus; an before doing so, see that all persons in the
vicinity have taken proper shelter as provided under regulation 164; and
(g) after firing the shots and before entering the place of firing, disconnect the cable from the
firing apparatus.
Where more than one shot are to be fire at the same time :-
(a) care shall be taken that all connections are properly made;
(b) all shots if fired belowground shall be connected in series;
(c) the circuit shall be tested either for electrical resistance or for continuity before connecting it
to the firing apparatus. Such a test shall be made with an apparatus specifically designed for the
purpose and after the provisions of regulation 164 have been complied with; and
(d) the cable to the shotfiring apparatus shall be connected last; and
e) detonators of the same electrical resistance shall lonely be used.

BYE-LAWS ON ANFO EXPLOSIVE

Cartridges. (1) No explosive, other than a fuse or a detonator, shall be issued for use in mine, or
taken into or used in any part of a mine, unless it is in the form of a cartridge. Cartridges shall be
used only in the form in which they are received.
(2) The preparation of cartridges from loose gunpowder, the drying of gunpowder and the
reconstruction of damp cartridges shall be carried out by a competent person and only in a place
approved by the Licencing Authority an in accordance with the rules made under the Indian
Explosives Act, 1884.

162. Magazines, stores and premises to store explosives. – (1) Every magazine, or store or
premises, where explosives are stored shall be in charge of a competent person who shall be
responsible for the proper receipt, storage an issue of explosives.
(2) Explosives shall not be issued from the magazine unless they are required for immediate use.
If any explosives are returned to the magazine or store or premises, they shall be reissue before
fresh stock is used.
(3) Explosives shall be issued only to competent persons upon written requisition signed by the
blaster or by a official authorised for the purpose, and only against their signature or thumb
impression. Such requisition shall be preserved by the person in charge of the magazine or store
or premises.
(4) The person in charge of the magazine or store or premises shall maintain, in a bound paged
book kept for the purpose, a clear and accurate record of explosives issued to each competent
person and a similar record of explosives returned to the magazine or store or premises.

BYE-LAWS ON DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES

Use of certain machinery belowground. – (1) No internal combustion engine or steam boiler
shall be used belowground in a mine expect with the permission in writing of the Chief Inspector
and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein.
3[(2) In every gassy seam of the second or third degree only flame proof electrical apparatus and
equipment shall be used belowground unless otherwise provided for under the Indian Electricity
Rules, 1956]:
Provided that the Central Government or the Chief Inspector or an Inspector authorised by the
Central Government may, subject to such conditions as may be specified, permit the continuance
of the use of non-flame proof apparatus or equipment for a specified period, not exceeding one
year, in any mine of the first degree gassiness, which has subsequently been classified as second
or third degree gassines.]
1[(3) The Chief Inspector may, from time to time by notification in the Official Gazette, specify
appliances, equipment, machinery, or other material, that are or may be used in a mine, which
shall be of such type, standard and make as approved by the Chief Inspector by a general or
special order, and where any such appliance, equipment, machinery or other material had been
specified by the Chief Inspector any such appliance, equipment, machinery, or material, other
than that approved by the Chief Inspector as aforesaid, shall not be used in any mine.
(4) Where in respect of any appliance, equipment, machinery or other material, the Chief
Inspector has not made any notification under sub-regulation (3) and any such appliance,
equipment machinery or material is used in any mine, the Chief Inspector or Regional Inspector
may, if he is of the opinion that the use of such appliance, equipment, machinery, or material
until the same is approved by the Chief Inspector.]
182. General provisions about construction and maintenance of machinery. – All parts and
working gear whether fixed or movable, including the anchoring and fixing appliances, of all
machinery and apparatus used as or forming part of the equipment of amine, an all foundations
in or to which any such appliances are anchored or fixed shall be of good construction, suitable
material, adequate strength and free from visible defect, and shall be properly maintained.

183. Apparatus under pressure. – (1) All apparatus, used as or forming part of the equipment of a
mine, which contains or produces air, gas or steam at a pressure greater than atmospheric
pressure shall be so constructed, installed and maintained as to obviate any risk of fire, bursting,
explosion or collapse or the production or noxious gases.
(2) Every air receiver forming part of a compressing plant shall be fitted with a safety valve and
an air gauge which shows pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure.
(3) Before an air-received is cased in or put in commission, the engineer or other competent
person shall subject it to a hydraulic test at a pressure at least one-and-a-halftimes the maximum
permissible working pressure. A similar test shall be made after every renewal or repair and in
any case at intervals of not more than three years. The result of every such test shall be recorded
in a bound paged book kept for the purpose and shall be signed and dated by the person carrying
out the test.
(4) The supply of air for air-compressors shall be drawn from a source free from dust and fumes.

184. Precautions regarding moving parts of machinery – (1) Every winch or windlass shall be
provided with a stopper, pawl or other reliable holder.
(2) Every fly-wheel and every other dangerous exposed part of any machiery used as, or formig
part of, the equipment of a mine shall be adequately fenced by suitable guards of substantial
construction to prevent danger; and such guards shall be kept in position while the parts of the
machinery are in motion or in use, byt they may b removed for carrying out any examination,
adjustment or repair if adequate precautions are taken.
(3) No person shall, or shall be allowed to, repair, adjust, clean or lubricate machinery in motion
where there is risk or injury.
(4)No person shall, or shall be allowed to, shift or adjust a driving belt or rope while the
machinery is in motion unless a proper mechanical appliance is provided and used for the
purpose.
(5) No person in close proximity to moving machinery shall wear, or be permitted to wear, loose
outer clothing.
(6) No unauthorised person shall enter any engine room or in any way interfere with the engine.
185. Engine rooms an their exits. – Every engine, motor, transformer and battery charging room,
and every room in which highly inflammable materials are stored on the surface shall be kept
clean, and be provided with at least two exists. Every such exit shall be properly maintained and
kept free from obstruction.

186. Working and examination of machinery. (1) No machinery shall be operated otherwise than
by or under the constant supervision of a competent person.
2[(2) In a gassy seam of the second or third degree] no person shall be appointed to supervise or
operate any electrical machinery, apparatus or appliance other than a telephone or signalling
device or an electric lamp or light, unless he holds a Gas-testing Certificate.
3[Every such person shall whilst on duty be provided with and carry an approved flame safety
lamp.]
(3) Every person in charge of any machinery, apparatus or appliance shall, before commencing
work, see that it is in proper working order; an if he observes any defect therein, he shall
immediately report the fact to the manager, engineer or other competent person.
(4) Every person in charge of an air-receiver shall see that no extra weight is added to the safety
valves and that the permissible pressure of air is not exceeded.
(5) A competent person or persons appointed for the purpose shall, once at least in every seven
days, make a thorough inspection of all machinery and plant in use, and shall record the result
thereof in a bound paged book kept for the purpose. In respect of electrical machinery and plant,
the competent person shall be an engineer or electrician holding qualifications specified in the
Indian Electricity Rules, 1956.
Module 4

Accidents
Classification of Accidents

The accident classification identifies the circumstances which contributed most directly to the
resulting accident. The accident may or may not be directly tied to any resulting injury. For that
reason, you must not associate the classification decision with any injury that may have resulted.
The classifications are listed in alphabetical order:
ELECTRICAL - Accidents in which electric current is most directly responsible for the
resulting accident.
ENTRAPMENT - In accidents involving no injuries or nonfatal injuries which are not serious,
entrapment of mine workers takes precedence over roof falls, explosives accidents,
inundations, etc. If a roof fall results in an entrapment accident, the accident classification is
Entrapment.
EXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE - These are accidents caused by explosion of
air hoses, air tanks, hydraulic lines, hydraulic hoses, and other accidents precipitated by
exploding vessels.
EXPLOSIVES AND BREAKING AGENTS - Accidents involving the detonation of
manufactured explosives, Airdox, or Cardox, that can cause flying debris, concussive forces, or
fumes.
FALLING, ROLLING, OR SLIDING ROCK OR MATERIAL OF ANY KIND -Injuries
caused directly by falling material require great care in classification. Remember that it is the
accident we want to classify. If material was set in motion by machinery, haulage equipment,
or hand tools, or while material is being handled or disturbed, etc., charge the force that set the
material in motion. For example, where a rock was pushed over a highwall by a dozer and the
rock hit another rock which struck and injured a worker - charge the accident to the dozer.
Charge the accident to that which most directly caused the resulting accident. Without the
dozer, there would have been no resulting accident. This includes accidents caused by improper
blocking of equipment under repair or inspection.
FALL OF FACE, RIB, SIDE OR HIGHWALL - Accidents in this classification include
falls of material (from in-place) while barring down or placing props; also pressure bumps and
bursts. Since pressure bumps and bursts which cause accidents are infrequent, they are not
given a separate category. Not included are accidents in which the motion of machinery or
haulage equipment caused the fall either directly or by knocking out support; such accidents are
classified as machinery or haulage, whichever is appropriate.
FALL OF ROOF OR BACK - Underground accidents which include falls while barring
down or placing props; also pressure bumps and bursts. Not included are accidents in which the
motion of machinery or haulage equipment caused the fall either directly or by knocking out
support; such falls are classified as machinery or haulage, whichever is appropriate.
 FIRE - In underground mines, an unplanned fire not extinguished within 10 minutes of
discovery; in surface mines and surface areas of underground mines, an unplanned fire not
extinguished within 30 minutes of discovery;
HANDLING MATERIAL - (Lifting, pulling, pushing, shoveling material.) The material may
be in bags or boxes, or loose sand, coal, rock, timber, etc. The accident must have been most
directly caused by handling material.
HAND TOOLS - Accidents related to non-powered tools when being used as hand tools. Do
not include electric tools or air-powered tools.
HOISTING - Damage to hoisting equipment in a shaft or slope which endangers an individual
or interferes with use of the equipment for more than 30 minutes. Hoisting may also be the
classification where a victim was injured by hoisting equipment but there was no damage to the
equipment. Accidents involving cages, skips, buckets, or elevators. The accident results from
the action, motion, or failure of the hoisting equipment or mechanism. Included is equipment
such as derricks and cranes only when used in shaft sinking; suspended work platforms in
shafts; mine cars being lowered or raised by hoisting equipment on slopes or inclines; a skip
squeezed between timbers resulting in an accident; or an ore bucket tipped for any reason
causing an accident.
IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST - Accidents resulting as a consequence of
the ignition or explosion of gas or dust. Included are exploding gasoline vapors, space heaters,
or furnaces.
Methane Ignition - A methane ignition occurs when methane burns without producing
destructive forces. Damage resulting from an ignition is limited to that caused by flame and heat.
Personnel in the immediate vicinity of an ignition may be burned and line brattice or other
materials in close proximity may be discolored, melted or burned. Ignitions generally involve
small quantities of methane and are usually confined to a small area; however, in the case of
methane roof layering, flame spread may be more extensive.

Methane Explosion - A methane explosion occurs when methane is ignited and burns violently.
The flame of the explosion accelerates rapidly, heating the environment and causing destructive
forces. Evidence of the destructive forces may be manifest on victims, equipment, structures, etc.
Witnesses to an explosion may hear the noise generated by the resulting sound pressure wave.

IMPOUNDMENT - An unstable condition at an impoundment, refuse pile, or culm bank

which requires emergency action in order to prevent failure, or which causes individuals to
evacuate an area. Also the failure of an impoundment, refuse pile, or culm bank.
INUNDATION - An unplanned inundation of a mine by a liquid or gas. The mine may be
either a surface or underground operation.
MACHINERY - Accidents that result from the action or motion of machinery or from failure
of component parts. Included are all electric and air-powered tools and mining machinery such
as drills, tuggers, slushers, draglines, power shovels, loading machines, compressors, etc.
Include derricks and cranes except when they are used in shaft sinking (see HOISTING) or
mobile cranes traveling with a load (see POWERED HAULAGE).
NON-POWERED HAULAGE - Accidents related to motion of non-powered haulage
equipment. Included are accidents involving wheelbarrows, manually pushed mine cars and
trucks, etc.
 POWERED HAULAGE - Haulage includes motors and rail cars, conveyors, belt feeders,
longwall conveyors, bucket elevators, vertical manlifts, self-loading scrapers or pans, shuttle
cars, haulage trucks, front-end loaders, load-haul- dumps, forklifts, cherry pickers, mobile
cranes if traveling with a load, etc. The accident is caused by the motion of the haulage unit.
Include accidents that are caused by an energized or moving unit or failure of component parts.
If a car dropper suffers an injury as a result of falling from a moving car, charge the accident to
haulage.
SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON - Includes slips or falls from an elevated position or at the
same level while getting on or off machinery or haulage equipment that is not moving. Also
includes slips or falls while servicing or repairing equipment or machinery. Includes stepping
in a hole.
STEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT - Accidents are classified in this category only
where the object stepped or kneeled on contributed most directly to the accident.
STRIKING OR BUMPING - This classification is restricted to those accidents in which an
individual, while moving about, strikes or bumps an object but is not handling material, using
hand tools, or operating equipment.
OTHER - Accidents not elsewhere classified. This is a last resort category

ACCIDENT PREVENTION
The majority of accidents and incidents are not caused by “careless workers”, but failures in
control (either within the organization or within the particular job), which are the responsibility
of management. The preservation of human and physical resources is an important means of
minimizing costs. Safety and health is a management responsibility of equal importance to
production and quality. Control of safety and health is achieved through co-operative effort at all
levels in the organization. Effective safety and health management is not “common sense” but
based on a common understanding of risks and how to control them brought about through good
management. Competence in managing safety and health is an essential part of professional
management. All accidents, ill health and incidents are preventable. Safety and health; and
quality, are two sides of the same coin.

1. Techniques for Accident Prevention

All employers, employees and self employed persons have a duty of care towards their own, and
others’ safety and health at their workplace. Compliance with legislative requirements may assist
by providing either performance based or prescriptive criteria to achieve required results.
Various legislative requirements may impact on activities within workplaces to ensure that
workers are able to work in a safe environment. Under general duty of care legislation,
employers have a duty to ensure, as far as practicable, that employees are not exposed to hazards
at the workplace. Under regulations and in accordance with codes of practice, employers also
have an obligation to identify workplace hazards, to assess the associated risks and to make the
necessary changes to minimize the risks.
These three basic steps [2, 3] should be taken to ensure a safe and healthy workplace and prevent
accidents. They are based on the concept that the workplace should be modified to suit people,
not vice versa. The three steps are:
Identifying the Hazard – involves recognizing things which may cause injury or harm to the
health of a person, for instance, flammable material, ignition sources or unguarded machinery.
Assessing the Risk – involves looking at the possibility of injury or harm occurring to a person if
exposed to a hazard.
Controlling the Risk – by introducing measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of a person being
exposed to a hazard.
It is important to regularly review the steps, especially if there are changes in the work
environment, new technology is introduced, or standards are changed. Occupational Safety and
Health legislation promotes cooperation and consultation between the employer and employees
within the workplace to achieve a safe and healthy work environment. Employers should consult
with safety and health representatives, if any, and employees during these steps.
Involvement of elected safety and health representatives can provide an opportunity for problems
to be resolved using knowledge within the immediate work area.

2. Hazard Identification
A hazard in relation to a person is defined as “anything that may result in injury to a person or
harm to the health of a person”. There are a number of ways of identifying potential sources of
injury or disease. Selection of the appropriate procedure will depend on the type of work
processes and hazards involved. Procedures may range from a simple checklist for a specific
piece of equipment or substance, to a more open-ended appraisal of a group of related work
processes. Systematic inspections and audits can be used to detect changes away from the
designed or designated conditions. Such programs can be scheduled on time, fault or random
regimes. Importantly the results should be utilized and form part of an on-going base of data for
the workplace. A combination of methods may provide the most effective results. Methods of
identifying workplace hazards include [4]:
developing a hazard checklist;
conducting walk-through surveys and inspections;
reviewing information from designers or manufacturers;
analyzing unsafe incident, accident and injury data;
analyzing work processes;
consulting with employees;
examining and considering material safety data sheets and product labels; and
seeking advice from specialist practitioners and representatives.
Some hazards are inherent in the work process, such as mechanical hazards, noise, or the toxic
properties of substances. Other hazards result from equipment or machine failures and misuse,
control or power system failures, chemical spills, and structural failures.
Hazards may be grouped into three categories - physical, mental and biological. Within each
category, there are further hazard groups or types. It is useful to consider these hazard types (see
below) when identifying work related hazards to ensure that a wide range of potential hazards is
considered. The most common hazards in terms of bodily injury or disease are those which result
in:
strain or overuse injuries and disease to back, shoulder, wrist etc;
cut and abrasion injuries to the eyes, hands, fingers, feet and head;
impact and crush injuries to the head, feet and fingers;
burns (by heat, light or chemicals) to the eyes, feet, and skin;
noise induced hearing loss; and
toxic effects (short or long term) to respiratory system or skin, resulting in poisoning,
cancers or dermatitis.
Types of hazard
Types of hazard include: Specific examples:
Gravity falling objects, falls of people
Kinetic energy projectiles, penetrating objects
Mechanical energy caught between, struck by, struck against
Hazardous substances skin contact, inhalation
Thermal energy spills and splashes of hot matter
Extremes of temperature effects of heat or cold
Radiation ultraviolet, arc flashes, microwaves, lasers
Noise hearing damage
Electrical shock, burns
Vibration to hands
Biological micro-organisms
Stress unrealistic workload and expectations

The conclusion of hazard identification should result in a list of hazard sources, the particular
form in which that hazard occurs, the areas of the workplace or work process where it occurs,
and the persons exposed to that hazard.

3. Assessing the Risks

Risk, in relation to any injury and harm, is defined as “the probability of that injury or harm
occurring.” Risk assessment should result in a list of any potential injury or harm and the
likelihood of these occurring, arising from the hazards identified in the first step. In general,
these should be stated from the most to the least serious, for example, from death by crushing to
abrasion. The potential for fatal injury should be considered for each hazard type identified.
In assessing risks, consideration should be given to the state of knowledge about the frequency of
injury or disease, the duration of exposure to injury or disease sources and the likely severity of
the outcomes. Knowledge gained from similar workplaces or similar processes may be relevant
to this risk assessment. Items to be considered include:
Frequency of injury – how often is the hazard likely to result in an injury or disease?
Duration of exposure – how long is the employee exposed to the hazard?
Outcome – what are the consequences or potential severity of injury?
Assessing these three factors will indicate the probability or likelihood of injury or harm to
workers involved in a particular work process. It also indicates the likely severity of this harm.
Incomplete data or incomplete information regarding hazards of a work process may complicate
the task. Risk assessment requires good judgment and awareness of the potential risks of a work
process. Any person undertaking the risk assessment must have knowledge and experience of the
work process. An assessment of the risk will help determine the consequences (potential injury
or disease) and assist to identify methods to reduce the risk. Risk assessment should include:
assessing the adequacy of training or knowledge required to work safely;
looking at the way the jobs are performed;
looking at the way work is organised;
determining the size and layout of the workplace;
assessing the number and movement of all people on the site;
determining the type of operation to be performed;
determining the type of machinery and plant to be used;
 examining procedures for an emergency (eg: accident, fire and rescue); and
looking at the storage and handling of all materials and substances.
In some cases it may be necessary to break down the activity or process into a series of parts and
assess each part separately. Risk assessment should provide information regarding which
employees face an injury or disease risk, how often, and the potential severity of that injury or
disease risk.
4. Reducing the Risk and Preferred Order or Hierarchy of Controls
The final step is to determine the control measures that need to be taken. In some instances, a
combination of control measures may be appropriate. Control measures should be designed [5]:
to eliminate or reduce the risks of a hazardous work process and to minimise the effects of
injury or disease;
to reduce the risk of exposure to a hazardous substance.
Controls involve implementing measures that reduce the hazard and risk in the workplace. The
control of occupational injury and disease risks should preferably be dealt with in a preferred
order or hierarchy. The control measures range from the most effective to the least effective. The
hierarchy or preferred order of control is [1,5]:
Elimination – removing the hazard or hazardous work practice from the workplace. This is the
most effective control measure;

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS

Introduction

 Incident/Accident investigation and analysis are a critical element of safety management.

 The overriding purpose for an organisation in carrying out incident investigation is
prevention of similar incidents as well as seeking a general improvement in the
management of health and safety. .
 The graph below is based on EIGA members’ work injury statistics (1992-1999) and it
confirms the general experience that in two accidents out of three the cause is blamed on
the person carrying out the task.
 A more careful investigation should have revealed that the accidents were caused by a
“lack of management control” due to inadequacies in the SH&E programme, standards,
compliance, monitoring of work, etc.

Scope and purpose

 The purpose of this publication is to discuss the key elements of incident/accident
investigation, root cause analysis and developing corrective actions to eliminate similar
incidents reoccurring.

What are incidents/accidents?

 There are a number of definitions of what is meant by the term accident and the similar
term incident, which is also sometimes used. Many of these interpretations are included
in the definition that an accident is an undesired event giving rise to death, ill health,
injury, damage or other loss.
  An incident is an event that gave rise to an accident or had the potential to lead to an
accident. A number of studies have been carried out showing the relationship between the
number of accidents involving fatal injuries, non-fatal injuries, property damage and near
misses.
 Unsafe behaviour and situation are also considered as contributory causes of accidents.
Typical examples are failures to wear the required personal protective equipment (PPE)
or to comply with safety rules (e.g. putting on safety seat belts while driving).
 Statistically, the number of unsafe behaviour or situation observed would be 20 –30 times
more in relation to the occurrence of near misses, as shown in the extrapolated base of the
triangle.
 The severity of the outcome of an accident often depends on chance if organisations fail
to identify hazards and control risks properly. There are numerous free learning
opportunities for effective control at the base of the triangle and major efforts must be put
in this area.
 Nothing is more important or more tragic than human aspects of accidental loss, i.e.
Injury, pain, sorrow, disability, or death. Adding this overriding human element to the
potential of profit improvement, you have the best of both worlds.
 The figure below (based on the publication by UK Health and Safety Executive report on
‘The Costs of Accidents at Work’) illustrates many of the hidden costs of accidents which
come straight out of profit.
Major or Serious injury
Minor injury
Property damage
Near misses
At- risk behaviour /situation

Incident investigation
Who should investigate?
 Employers have a responsibility to investigate as part of their management of safety.
 The person leading the investigation should have sufficient authority to implement
immediate preventive actions and where necessary to form a team having the required
expertise to carry out the investigation.
 Depending on the size and complexity of the incident, a team may include, for example, a
metallurgist, an R&D specialist, a mechanical engineer etc. Companies should also seek
external specialist assistance if such expertise is lacking within the organisation.
 The role and commitment of the supervisor is crucial since he/she represents the first
level of management and probably has the best understanding of the local working
conditions.

Initial action
 There are a lot of things that have to be done when an accident occurs. The success of an
investigation comes in the first few moments. A supervisor’s initial action varies for
every accident.
 The person on the scene must be the judge of what is critical. These steps are guidelines
to apply as appropriate.
• Take control at the scene – supervisors need to take charge, directing and approving everything
that is done.
• Ensure first aid is provided and call for emergency services.
• Control potential secondary events – these events such as explosions and fire are usually more
serious. Positive actions need to be taken quickly after careful thought of the consequences.
• Identify sources of evidence at the scene.
• Preserve evidence from alteration or removal.
• Notify appropriate management in the organisation.
• Notify regulatory bodies and insurance companies if appropriate

Example
In an oxygen filling plant, Mr Li starts to fill cylinders with oxygen. He notices a leak on the
oxygen valve downstream of the pump and atmospheric exchanger. Whilst trying to shut off the
valve, he falls over, hitting a profiled section with a sharp edge on the pump frame and cutting
his right leg badly.
A superficial analysis produces the following deductions and measures:
• the accident is put down to lack of care on the part of Mr. Li;
• the valve is replaced with a new one.

A thorough examination and use of the fault tree technique lead to completely different
conclusions.
In actual fact, Mr Li began tightening the oxygen valve when a flash fire occurred. He took
fright, and moved backwards with a start, tripped on the damaged floor. This is how he came to
hit the pump frame. Furthermore, it was established that the material comprising the valve
packing was incompatible with oxygen.
In the end, the following preventive measures were taken:
• the valve trim was replaced (with a new packing made of a suitable material),
• the floor was repaired,
• operators were given training (never tighten pressurised parts).
Module 5
PRESENTATION OF ACCIDENTAL RECORDS

Investigation
 It is vital that as much evidence is identified and preserved as soon as possible. If
necessary, the whole area should be cordoned off to stop anyone disturbing or destroying
the evidence.
 Some evidence will need to be left in place until all the facts have been gathered, other
evidence can be moved as soon as photographs have been taken, sketches drawn,
equipment examined and records checked (training, maintenance logs/needs, schedules,
job procedures and practices etc.).
 Electronic digital cameras are particularly useful, since pictures can be taken quickly,
studied on the spot and sent to other relevant people in the organisation, thereby
facilitating an understanding of the accident.
 Interviews are one of the most important means of gaining information about what
actually happened.
 Re-enactments can be useful but should be used carefully by the investigators.
 From all the information collected, it is important to identify and select all the significant
and relevant facts that may have contributed to the incident and not just to rely on the
obvious ones which appear at first sight.
 It is important to understand ‘the big picture’ i.e. an orientation to the people, equipment,
materials and environment involved in the accident.

In summary the essential elements of collecting the facts for the accident are as follows.
• Identifying sources of evidence at scene;
• Preserving evidence;
• Getting the big picture;
• Making sketches, maps, photographs, videos of the scene;
• Conducting interviews and examinations and material failure analysis;
• Avoiding judgements;
• Checking records.

Analysing accident/incident causes

 Numerous accident and root-cause analysis systems have been introduced during recent
years. Following an accident, the immediate causes are easily apparent. They are the
circumstances which immediately precede the accident and are often referred to as unsafe
acts or unsafe conditions.
 A more positive outlook is to refer to immediate causes as substandard practices or
substandard conditions; the aim of the investigation being to restore standards of safe
working practice and standards of safe working conditions.
 Immediate causes are the symptoms of the problem and tackling these alone will not
prevent the problem re-occurring.
  The root causes, which lie beneath the symptoms, are the reasons why persons have used
substandard practices and why substandard conditions existed.
 There are a number of methods of accident analysis of varying degrees of complexity
which may be used in an investigation. One method consists of conducting an analysis
using the “fault tree method”.
 In this, a sequence of events is plotted starting with the accident and working to the root
causes. Next, a cause and effect diagram is drawn to establish means of eliminating the
causes. The goal of the study is generate an action plan to eliminate as many of the
identified root causes as possible.

Report
An investigation report should be written in a timely manner. It communicates facts about the
incident/accident. It should identify corrective actions. Most organisations have a standard
investigation report form. Using a standard form has several benefits.
1. It raises all the questions that should be answered; i.e. what was the event? What
happened? What were the causes? , etc.
2. It provides consistency in data reported. It prompts sharing of information with others. Finally
it allows analysis for trend and that helps Safety Management.
3. It provides follow-up corrective actions.

Developing corrective actions

Adequate corrective actions to minimise or eliminate a problem can only come from a sound
investigation, which has truly solved the problem. Otherwise, the problem will occur again and
again but with different symptoms. An action plan must be prepared with target dates and names
of people (or department) in charge of the actions. Following up on the action plan up to its
completion is essential. Action Plan Example Cause/Issues Action Responsibility Completion
Date

Communication
One of the most valuable actions is to circulate information within and outside organisation in an
efficient way. The use of photographs is advised since it draws attention and sensitivity of people
and helps them to remember. Communication actions might be:
Immediate - Safety alerts, training, etc.
Short term - Newsletters, Group meetings, etc.
Long term - Changes in Company Standard or Procedures
- Retraining programme

COLLECTION OF ACCIDENTAL RECORDS

– steps in incident/accident investigation and reporting

• Identify what happened and how the incident/ accident could occur;
• Investigate, analyse, report and record accidents and/or near misses utilising the root cause
analysis method and other techniques such as brain storming etc.…
• Identify all factors contributing to the occurrence (actions, conditions, circumstances etc.,) and
management actions/practices necessary to prevent/control future repetition;
• Determine potential areas where current management practices may need further evaluation or
action;
• Develop, initiate action plans and strategies to correct deficiencies;
• Capture and track all actions; ensure they are clearly identified and implemented;
• Manage and control, by means of a system providing for a definite assignment of
accountabilities (and completion target dates) that each preventive/corrective action step is
implemented.
• Communicate information within and outside organisation.
An internal system should exist and establish that all deficiencies are promptly detected in any
other location, plant and activities and that, as mentioned above, suitable preventive/corrective
action plans with accountabilities and target dates are enforced to eliminate the identified
deficiency.

ZERO ACCIDENTAL PLANNING (ZAP) Zero Accident Vision

Introduction
Zero Accident Vision is a philosophy which states that nobody should be injured due to an
accident. It is more a way of thinking rather than a numerical goal; In terms of accident
prevention strategies, Zero Accident Vision can be viewed as a way of thinking; this proposes
that all accidents can be prevented. When no accidents are allowed or approved, this provides a
basis for learning from accidents and improving processes.

Definition and dimension of Zero Accident Vision

Philosophy
Vision Zero is more of a philosophy rather than a numerical goal: according to its way of
thinking that nobody should be injured or killed in an accident. People tend to make errors, but
erroneous actions should not result in injuries. This is one reason why safety should be
emphasized in planning of any human –working or living – environment. The Zero Accident
Vision is based on the belief that all accidents are preventable, and therefore promoting the Zero
Accident Vision is an important strategy for preventing workplace accidents.
Zero Accident Vision is important in an occupational safety and health (OSH) management
system. There is an overall consensus in research that OSH management should be seen as part
of the overall business management structure, fostering a culture of continuous improvement,
and workers’ involvement, have a positive effect on OSH performance [1].

Safety culture of a workplace is in a key issue for the implementation of the Zero Accident
Vision. A safety culture determines how safety practices actually are performed in a workplace,
not how they are expressed in the guidelines and regulations. In many cases, the roots of
occupational accidents lie in a poor safety culture. The commitment and safety attitude of the
whole personnel is important when the goal is zero accidents.
Nowadays, the importance of safety is becoming more and more valued in workplaces and in
civil society as a whole. Good safety culture has a positive influence on quality, reliability,
competence and the productivity of a company [2], and therefore complying with the Zero
Accident Vision represents a competitive advantage for a company. The role of the management
in creating good safety culture cannot be under-estimated.

Learning from accidents and near misses

According to the Zero Accident Vision all accidents are preventable. One of the leading ideas is
to learn from those accidents that have occurred and to take corrective actions to prevent similar
accidents occurring again. Learning from accidents and near miss situations helps people to react
to similar situations in the future. When confronted with an uncertain situation, for example a
situation with a major potential risk, people tend to seek a solution from their past experience,
from memory. Thus accident investigation is a learning crucial tool. Workplaces with positive
pro-safety attitudes carry out similar investigation to near miss cases as they do for actual
accidents.
Near miss cases provide a company with powerful learning instruments and a lesson in how to
implement accident prevention actions. Near miss cases are these cases where nobody was
injured, but where an injury would have been possible. Finding the root causes for near miss
cases helps to prevent more serious accidents happening if a similar situation were to occur later.
Therefore, in all accident prevention strategies, it is essential to recognise what has happened in
the past, and to apply corrective actions after recognising the dangers and risks.
The Zero Accident Vision does not accept that accidents simply happen because of bad luck.
Human error or haste are often seen as the root cause of an accident, and in many cases there is
probably some truth in this proposal. Factors like individual unsafe actions are hard to control,
but organisational and contextual factors are present before the occurrence of an accident [3].
Finding the root causes and taking corrective actions on the basis of these findings may
also increase the profitability of a company as well as improving occupational safety and well-
being in the workplace [4].
Leaving room for the unexpected
Accidents do not necessarily happen where and when expected: even though it seems that all
possible risks have been identified and carefully considered, something quite unpredictable may
still take place. Traditionally risk assessment includes assessing several possible risk
assumptions in a limited period of time. Compared to this traditional assessment style, resilience
within the context of risk control concentrates on future occasions that may challenge the
operations at any given time and situation. Resilience means the ability to (1) cope with
unpredictable challenges, and (2) flexibility to act in a way that operations can be returned to the
normal by causing minimum damage to individuals or/and property. Resilience is based on
something that the organisation does, rather than something that the organisation has [5]. This
means that in order to provide a safe work environment, an organisation has to have the ability to
manage processes that may at times be unpredictable, as well as maintaining the capability to
respond to both expected and unexpected developments.
Driving a car is an example of resilience thinking: Even in very light traffic, the driver should be
able to look ahead and to observe any kind of movement or change in the traffic environment,
however, the driver can never be quite certain of what lies ahead on the road and what
unexpected actions might be taken by other drivers. There is the same trend in safety
management: Organisations must be able to function and survive in environments that are
dynamic, both partly unknown and partly predictable. In order to be effective, it is necessary for
organisations to look forward and to prepare for the problems that may lie ahead, but might not
yet have been foreseen. [6]
Leaving room for the unexpected is important if one is striving for zero accidents. Even though
much may have been done to prevent accidents, some risks will always still exist. One of the
greatest recurrent risks is to be lulled into thinking that everything is covered after having
followed safety strategies and plans. However there is a possibility that new risks have not been
identified and they may lead to serious accidents. Regular safety assessments and a pro-safety
attitude are essential for preventing accidents.

Success factors for Zero Accident Vision

Management commitment and workers participation
Top management plays a key role when improving occupational safety, because preventing
accidents and creating a better safety culture requires resources – both work time and financial
input. Those leaders who value safety highly, also value their employees' well-being [7]. The
information that management values safety is important to the workers. This shows that the
workers and their wellbeing at work is valued. Managers should follow safety rules themselves
and ensure that all workers are adhering to them as well. The real commitment and safety
attitude of managers can be seen through their actions: Managers can show their commitment to
safety by following the workplace's own safety procedures, and by not approving any unsafe
behaviour from workers. For instance it should not be acceptable to ask workers to perform their
work faster if this haste will pose a risk to safety.
Though top management provides the resources for working according to Vision Zero, the
commitment of each worker is equally important in order to obtain the goal. The workers'
involvement and participation can be boosted by training and a thorough orientation in the work
processes. Supervision and control are also important tools, as well as the management's clear
message that unsafe actions are not acceptable.

Atmosphere for open co-operation

Working towards Zero Accident requires co-operation at all levels within the organisation.
Achieving a safe workplace entails much work, because workers have different opinions and
attitudes towards safety, and individuals behave very differently in different situations. However,
the way that people behave can be influenced, and sharing the Zero Accident Vision presumes
that the members of an organisation share a positive safety attitude.
Informing all workers is the first step in motivating and increasing workers' commitment to
safety. The information should be extended also to those workers who temporarily visit or
perform some task in the workplace. The idea of sharing the concept that safety is important and
highly valued in the workplace increases safety knowledge and understanding among workers.
Transparency in information sharing is an important tool in co-operation towards better safety
within an organisation. When the goal is an accident-free workplace, a worker might feel shame
for having been hurt in a work accident, and he/she might try to hide the accident, this might
even result in underreporting of accidents. This is not the aim of Zero Accident Vision. Every
single accident, even minor accidents, needs to be reported. The transparency can be achieved by
thorough safety communication which helps the workers to understand that the reason for
reporting accidents is not to identify the person who is guilty or who has done something wrong.
All accidents and near miss cases should be used for learning and for further prevention.
Reminders of the commitment to safety should be issued every now and then: For example, these
can be delivered through safety campaigns which concentrate on a certain theme of safety (such
as tidiness in the workplace or reporting near misses).
Resources
Working towards Zero Accident Vision needs resources for adequate training (both vocational
training and workplace specific safety training). and workplace orientation, appropriate working
equipment and methods, enough time to perform work safety processes, and adequate PPE
(personal protective equipment).
In order to work safely, workers should be aware of the risks and the correct, safe ways to work
in each particular work environment and workplace. This can be achieved by safety training and
orientation at the company level. Orientation is not only for new workers, but also essential when
workers' tasks (1) change, and (2) new machines or equipment are introduced, or (3) after long
absence from work (maternity leave, sick leaves, etc.). The principle behind safe working is
adequate resources, i.e. use of appropriate working equipment and the possibility to adhere to
safe working processes should be available to all workers at all times. When the working
environment or machines change, the equipment and methods need to be checked and readjusted
to the current situation.
Safety processes and pro-safety attitude should be visible in the workplace: This means that
personal protective equipment should be available and used whenever required. A safe way of
working should be the rule, i.e. haste is not a reason to ignore safe working. Safety should also
be included in the agendas of team meetings and adequate training must be provided to ensure
safe working.
Haste increases the risk of accidents: Zero Accident Vision thinking requires that there must
always be enough time to perform the task safely. Workers should be encouraged to follow
safety rules and not to make "quick but risky" solutions in order to save time.
There is no standard solution
Every workplace is different and faces different risks and has different workers – all work
environments are unique combinations of many actors and situations. Therefore no standard
solution exists for achieving the goal of Zero Accidents, what really matters is that there is a
resilient pro-safety attitude. Workplace specific risk assessment and risk management are crucial
in achieving the goal of accident-free workplace. In addition, as important as learning from the
past, is the need to be alert to new risks. Improving safety is a never-ending task: even when
performed well, it is never finished.
Networking
Networking and sharing good practice information can help companies promote occupational
safety.
The Finnish Zero Accident Forum is an example of a voluntary-based network of workplaces
which are committed to the Zero Accident Vision. The companies have a genuine desire to
improve safety and are striving towards zero accidents. The Forum consists of companies and
organisations of various sizes representing various industries. Being a member of the Finnish
Zero Accident Forum means that the management and staff of the organisation are committed to
improving their own occupational safety and carrying out all the work that this entails. The main
principle of the forum is to learn from each other, even across industries and from different
business sectors.[8]
The Zero Accident Vision has also expanded to the European Context in order to promote the
dissemination and implementation of the zero accident vision in companies throughout the
Members States. This networking will help companies to exchange knowledge in the field of
safety culture and learning, and help to promote the Zero Accident Vision.[9]

Implementation of Zero Accident Vision

The importance and benefits of implementing Zero Accident Vision are undeniable. Injuries
cause pain and suffering to individuals and their families, as well as mental distress and probably
life changes. In addition to needless human suffering, injuries result in direct expenses for
workplaces, and sometimes accidents may hurt the organisation's reputation and public image,
and this leads to long term financial losses. Thus accident prevention is important from every
point of view.
In addition to workplaces, Zero Accident Vision is widely recognized in the area of road safety
in many European countries. Sweden [10] and Norway [11] are examples of countries having a
long-term road safety goal stating that there should be no fatalities or serious injuries in road
traffic. The Vision Zero states that road safety is a common responsibility of both road users and
system designers. The means of implementing Zero Accident Vision in road safety involve
measures for speed management, improving vehicles (i.e. technical safety solutions), and
promoting the safe use of the roads. The improvements to the traffic environment could be
performed by increasing space and barriers and the provision of separate routes for pedestrians
and bicyclists.
In addition, the Zero Accident Vision is a useful way of thinking when numerical goals for
accidents are set, because it considers that all accidents to be preventable. To give an example, it
is still fairly common that an employer accepts that a certain number of accidents will be the
norm and in this way the employer creates a kind of "accident budget". As long you are within
the budget, no warning bells ring. If the "budget" is for example ten accidents within a half-year
period, then only when the eleventh accident has occurred, does the system receive a wake up
call. In this situation, one can say that the ten previous accidents occurred without triggering any
notice or actions. However, although quantitative targets may help in the reduction of accidents
at work, the real the warning bells should ring immediately if any accident does occur.
There are different ways of implementing Zero Accident Vision, for example, campaigns are a
visible way of promoting Vision Zero. Safety oriented, so called advanced workplaces already
know the principles of Zero Accident Vision (such as learning from accidents, commitment to
safety, continuous risk assessment, regular training and instruction, reporting all accidents and
near misses, and safety communication),
SAFETY INSPECTION

General Requirements
General requirements of the inspection program are explained by OH&S Reg. sections 3.5 to
3.11.

3.5 - Who establishes the inspection program?

Every employer must ensure that regular inspections are made of all workplaces.

What must be inspected in the workplace?

Buildings, structures, grounds, excavations, tools, equipment, machinery, and work

methods and practices.

How often?

Inspections must be done at intervals that will prevent the development of unsafe working
conditions.

3.6 - What about tools and equipment?

Machinery, tools and equipment shall be inspected in accordance with the manufacturer's
recommendations or as otherwise specified by relevant sections of this Regulation.

Note:
See OH&S Reg. Index for specific inspection requirements, when they are to be done, by whom
and what is to be inspected. i.e. Welding, Cutting and Allied Processes "section 12.119
Equipment Inspection"
Before using gas-welding or burning equipment, the operator must ensure that the equipment is
free from defects, leaks, oil and grease.
3.7 - When are special inspections done?
A special inspection must be made when required by malfunction or accident.

3.8 – Do the Joint H & S Committee or H & S representative participate?

A regular or special inspection must, where feasible, include the participation of members of the
joint committee or the worker health and safety representative.

3.8 (a) - What if there is no health and safety committee or representative?

If there is no committee or worker health and safety representative the employer must designate
an employer representative and the union shall designate a worker representative to conduct the
inspections.

3.8(b) – What if there is no union?

 If there is no union the employer must invite the workers to designate one of their number to
conduct the inspections.

3.9 - What happens when unsafe conditions are discovered?

Unsafe or harmful conditions found in the course of an inspection shall be remedied without
delay.

3.10 - Who should be informed when unsafe conditions or acts are found during inspections?

Whenever a person observes what appears to be an unsafe or harmful condition or act, the person must
report it as soon as possible to a supervisor or to the employer, and the person receiving the
report must investigate the reported unsafe condition or act and must ensure that any necessary
corrective action is taken without delay.Developing an Inspection Program

Guidelines for Inspectors

To what standards should inspections be conducted?

The regulations we have just reviewed tell us that we are to inspect for 'hazardous conditions,
unsafe actions or work methods'. These are only the general requirements and will require further
detail from employers identifying the safe conditions, actions and work methods for their
workplace.

Employers must develop their own standards and procedures of work to meet the requirements of
the applicable regulatory, industry, and manufacturers' standards for their workplace. They are to
develop procedures of work methods for hazardous jobs that their workers may encounter such
as lockout, confined space work, emergency procedures and so on. Employers must maintain
safe working conditions and practices.

The extent to which a person can carry out an effective inspection depends upon their ability to
identify hazards. Inspectors should be provided with a reference to follow during their
inspections.

Using Checklists

Many companies use a checklist to ensure consistent and comprehensive inspections each time
they are done. Appropriate checklists are developed for each job site and provide a guide to the
various standards expected to be in place. A Checklist should inform inspectors what to look at
and what to look for. What should we be looking at?
• Consider the following in the development of our checklists and guidelines:
plant or job site layout (areas where work activities take place)
building-structure
basic floor plan layouts with equipment and machinery
maintenance periods-shift work
start up and shut down times
hazardous substances used in the workplace
storage areas
exits

What are we looking for?

• Operating standards or requirements within these areas:
legal requirements (OH&S Regulation, fire regulations, boiler pressure vessel, elevating devices
etc.)
company rules/regulations
manufacturers' specifications and instructions (forklifts, maintenance and operating procedures)
personal protective equipment required (headgear, footwear, gloves, respirators, locks)
engineering controls(ventilation, guards etc.)
emergency procedures (fire, evacuation etc.)
first aid services and supplies.
• Look at known problem areas and review records on the following:
accident investigations
first aid record books
worker complaints and reports on hazards in the workplace
recommendations made by safety and health committees
previous inspections (including fire marshal, WorkSafeBC etc.)
maintenance reports
what controls are used to ensure safe work practices and maintain conditions?

How can floor plans help?

Workplace floor plans should be referenced during the planning stages of any checklist. They
should include information that will indicate locations of previous incidents, hazardous work
areas, health hazard areas, and any relative information that would assist in the development of a
checklist.

Inspectors
We have discussed who should be carrying out the "Regular" Safety inspections [OH&S Reg.
3.8]. There are other people in the workplace who should be doing inspections as part of their
normal duties or at least be involved in maintaining a safe and healthy work place. Your
"Regular" inspection team may be required to check on some of these people to make sure that
these day-to-day activities are being carried out as needed.

ACCIDENT COMPENSATION

Disablement :

 Injury caused to a workman by an accident ordinarily results in the loss of the earning
capacity of the workman concerned and this loss of earning capacity is technically
"disablement".
 Disablements can be classified as (a) Total, and {b) Partial.
 It can further be classified into (i) Permanent, and {ii) Temporary..,
 Disablement, is said to be total when if Incapacitates a worker for all work he was
capable of doing at the time of the accident resulting in such disablement.
 "Total disablement" is considered to be permanent if a workman, as a result of an
accident, suffers from the injury specified in Part I of Schedule I or suffers from such
combination of injuries specified in Part tl of Schedule I as would be the loss of
earning capacity when totaled to one hundred per cent .
 Disablement is said to be permanent partial when it reduces for all times, the earning
capacity of a workman in every employment which he was capable of undertaking at
the time of the accident. Every injury specified in Part II of Schedule I is deemed to
result in permanent partial disablement.
  Where the disablement is of a temporary nature and reduces the earning capacity of a
workman in the employment in which he was engaged at the time of the accident it is
"temporary partial disablement.

Accident Compensation-when payable

 The employer of any establishment covered under this Act, is required to compensate an
employee:

1. who has suffered an accident arising out of and in the course of his employment,
resulting into (i) death, (ii) permanent total disablement, (iii) permanent partial
disablement, or (iv) temporary disablement
2. who has contracted an occupational disease accident arising out of and in the course
of Employment
3. Accident arising out of and in the course of Employment
4. An accident arising out of employment implies a casual connection between the
injury and the accident and the work done in the course of employment.

What are the condition for receiving compensation for Personal Injury caused by the accident?

 The three tests for determining whether an accident arose out of employment are :

 At the time of injury workman must have been engaged in the business of the employer
and must not be doing something for his personal benefit;

 That accident occurred at the place where he was performing his duties; and

 Injury must have resulted from some risk incidental to the duties of the service, or
inherent in the nature or condition of employment.

When is an Employer not liable to pay compensation ?

BUT, the employer shall not be liable to pay compensation in the following cases:

 if the injury did not result in total or partial disablement of a workman for a period
exceeding three days,

 if the workman was at the time of the accident under the influence of drink of drug, or

 if the workman willfully disobeyed an order expressly given or a rule expressly framed
for the purpose of securing safety of workman, or

 If the workman willfully removed or disregarded any safety guard or other device which
to his knowledge was provided for the purpose of securing his safety.
JOB SAFETY ANALYSIS (JSA)

A job safety analysis (JSA) is one of several hazard identification and risk assessment tools
used by the mining industry. It is a basic tool and its application and quality varies greatly.
Used in the correct context, it can be a useful safety tool, however if it is used incorrectly or
inappropriately, it can result in poor identification of hazards and may contribute to serious
incidents across the industry.

Definition of a job safety analysis (JSA)

Presently there are many different versions of JSAs operating in industry, including:
• Job Safety and Environment Analysis (JSEA)
• Task Hazard Analysis (THA)
• Safe Job Analysis (SJA)
• Task Safety Analysis
• Pre-Work Safety Check
• Job Task Analysis
The term ‘job’ and ‘task’ are commonly used interchangeably to mean a specific work
assignment. There may be many individual tasks in a job and as such ‘job’ may be a more
appropriate term. Similarly ‘safety’ and ‘hazard’ can also be used interchangeably.
As the term ‘job safety analysis’ is not restricted to only identification of hazards, but the
implementation of controls and verification of the effectiveness of those controls, the term
‘safety’ will have a more appropriate meaning in the context of assessment of risk in a job.
In 2002, the conference of Chief Inspectors of Mines (CCIM) published the Minerals Industry
Safety Handbook. The handbook states:
“Job safety analysis is an important part of a safety program for stopping work accidents and
illnesses. It is about looking at each job to identify and assess hazards and set up safe work
practices.
The definition of ‘job safety analysis’, according to the National Minerals Industry Safety and
Health Assessment Guideline (Prof. Jim Joy and Dr Derek Griffiths) is:
“A JSA is a task oriented risk assessment which can be applied by a work team prior to
undertaking a potentially hazardous activity. Generally the technique is applied on site for
routine activities as a precursor to a safe working procedure. It uses job observation and
experience as the basis for identifying hazards and controls to be used. It is a primitive, but
helpful, qualitative analysis”.

5. Position of JSA in the risk management hierarchy

The correct selection and application of a particular risk assessment tool depends on the
complexity of the issue being assessed and the design and expected risk management
deliverables of an organisation.
A JSA is one of several risk assessment tools that help to identify job or task hazards and
unwanted events with the aim of ensuring the resultant risk in a job is as low as reasonably
achievable (ALARA). This is done through the selection and implementation of appropriate
controls.
Risk assessment tools that are commonly used in the industry include:
• Quantitative Risk Assessment (various methods) (QRA)
• Bow Tie Analysis (BTA)
• Fault / Logic Tree Analysis (FTA/LTA)
• Event Tree Analysis (ETA)
• Energy Barrier Analysis (EBA)
• Consequence Analysis (CA)
• Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA)
• Hazard Analysis (HAZAN)
• Hazard and Operability Assessment (HAZOP)
• Failure Modes, Effects (and Criticality) Analysis (FMEA/FMECA)
• Human Error Analysis (HEA)
• Layers of Protection analysis (LOPA)
• Workplace Risk Assessment and Control (WRAC)

• Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

• Stop, Think, Identify, Plan, and Proceed (Take 5)
The levels or layers of possible application of risk assessment tools. It should be noted that
within each layer, the application of risk assessment methods varies depending on a number of
issues. These include the complexity of the issue, the nature of the assessment, the detail and
outputs required and other factors. Within each layer, several methods and tools may be used.
A JSA is a basic and low level risk assessment tool and sits above the individual, informal risk
assessment tools. It is used for routine and non-routine job and task planning to help develop
effective safe work expectations — such as guidelines, procedures, standard work instructions
(SWIs) and job plans — and review tasks and the level of risk where adequate procedures or
SWIs are not available.
6. Application of a JSA
During the assignment of a job that has inadequate or no procedures or SWIs the work team,
with or without the participation of the supervisor, should complete a JSA. At completion of the
JSA, the supervisor is required to review and sign off the JSA where appropriate. If a job is
considered to be ‘high risk’ by the supervisor or the team (during personal prestart checks), a
formal risk assessment as appropriate other than a JSA should be conducted by an appropriate
team. Appropriate training, competency and understanding of the task is required for the
supervisor to determine the level of risk a job attracts and to recommend carrying out an
appropriate risk assessment other than a JSA.
In general, a JSA should only be applied to a job when:
• the hazards and potential or resultant risks are known to be low
• there is no procedure or SWI
• developing, modifying or reviewing a procedure or SWI (where appropriate).

Suggested JSA flowchart

A JSA should not be conducted as the primary tool to identify hazards and controls where
the job:
• has the potential for serious injuries, illness, equipment damage or environmental harm
• is new and has not been conducted before
• is of a long duration (that is over one shift)
• involves multiple work teams
• is known to have had a history of accidents or near misses
• is unusual or complex
• involves the use of new equipment, tools, or chemicals
• involves interaction with many interdependent systems (such as electrical, mechanical
or hydraulic systems).
It should also not be used as the primary tool for jobs where there is a new regulatory
requirement in place or where there is a change in the process of performing a job.

It is important that persons understand that it is not the JSA form that will keep them safe
on the job, but rather the process it presents and its outcomes (for example, the risk
controls).

The value of a JSA

Before developing a JSA it is essential to understand the value of a JSA. The success of a JSA is
dependent on the knowledge of those performing it and their attitude and commitment to it.
It is important to note that a JSA is not a ‘personal prestart check’ or ‘permit to work’. A JSA is
also not a compliance activity — but it is a key step in workers protecting themselves. Keeping
the JSA relevant is a challenge and all involved in the process of conducting a JSA need to have
a clear understanding of its purpose. The role of the supervisor is essential in creating an
effective JSA. Supervisors should have the skills and knowledge to put together a JSA or be able
to oversee its development. This includes assessing how well it has been completed and how
effective the chosen controls are.
The Minerals Industry Safety Handbook states -
When the JSA has been done, it can be used (to) tell the worker how to do the job, and is ideal
for training, since it shows a worker how to do the job in the best and safest way. It also sets the
standard for the job so that everyone learns to do the job in the same safe way.
The JSA can help managers and supervisors learn about the jobs to be supervised, even if they
have not actually done all the jobs themselves. The JSA should be used as a checklist when
doing safety inspections or audits, as it tells the auditor what should be happening on any job.
The JSA provides a “measure” during any incident investigation, as it sets out how the job
should be done’.

8. Developing an effective JSA

8.1 Resources for JSA
Make appropriate resources available to the JSA team including (but not limited to):
• sufficient time to conduct the JSA
• an appropriate JSA team experienced with the task
• a clear definition of the scope of job to be analysed
• access to participants who have job-specific knowledge
• competencies required to carry out the job safely and competently
• training on conducting or participating in the JSA process
• an appropriate JSA worksheet including relevant ‘hazard prompt’ checklists
• previously completed JSAs
• while developing a JSA for a modified/changed work, the SWI of the original Job
• company policies
• access to observing the job being performed under normal conditions to note job steps
• relevant accident and incident reports
• hazard and risk register(s)
• Safety Alerts or Bulletins referring to industry best practices
• OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer’s) drawings, manuals and procedures
A JSA not only contributes to the health and safety of persons but it
contributes to efficiency and productivity as well.
In developing a JSA, try to involve as many of the employees as possible
who carry out the work task. A JSA is an effective way of encouraging
employees to participate in hazard identification, risk assessment and risk
control. Through the JSA process, employees can make an important
contribution to the development and maintenance of workplace safety
procedures and practices.
• specialist supplier information
• Material Safety Datasheets (MSDS)
• AS/NZ standards or international standards
• internal organisational standards and specifications
• relevant codes of practices
• relevant regulatory requirements (including environmental protection policies).
8.2 Personnel to be involved
The Minerals Industry Safety Handbook states -
Workers will take more interest in a job if they are asked to help with the JSA.
Workers might have good ideas on how to do the job safely and better ways to do the
job safely, for example:
• some part of the workplace may need to be changed (materials, lighting, work
area layout, ventilation, safety gear)
• the number of times the job is done may need to be reduced
The following people should be involved in the development of a JSA (this list is not
exhaustive):
• experienced team leader/supervisor with job-specific knowledge, and competency in
conducting and writing a JSA
• persons with hands-on knowledge and expertise of the in the job for which the JSA is
being performed (equipment operator, fitter. etc.)
• manager, superintendent or engineer
• technical experts
• facilitator
• safety and health professional
• equipment or process providers where appropriate (e.g. OEM representative for new
equipment or a new process (optional)).
A JSA can be completed by a team with or without the participation of the Supervisor who
should review and approve the JSA. For developing a ‘Procedure/SWI’, a JSA should be
conducted by a broader team having regard to the nature, size and complexity of the job.
The approval and sign-off level would also be escalated in such cases.
8.3 Where to conduct a JSA
To ensure hazards and potential risks are properly captured and addressed, JSAs should
be performed at the job site prior to carrying out the job. JSAs conducted for the purpose of
developing or modifying a procedure/SWI may be conducted anywhere, but inspection of
the job site, task or equipment is essential. In this instance, the possibility of observing the
same job or similar kind of job if being performed should be considered.
8.4 Procedure
All JSAs developed must be specific to the job being performed. There should be no
‘generic’ JSA (this should otherwise be known or converted to a SWI.).
Figure 3 illustrates the basic steps of developing a JSA.
8.5 Complete a JSA identification in the form
There are two JSA sample forms provided in Appendices B and C — one without risk
scoring and one with risk scoring.
To ensure clarity, each JSA should have a job number, description, location, name of
members involved and a signature column.
8.6 Breaking down job into basic steps
A job step is defined as a segment of the operation necessary to advance the job. When
breaking down the job into basic steps care must be taken not to make the steps too
general as controls may be overlooked, or missing detail may lead to missing some
hazards. At the same time there should not be too many steps.
If the job is complex, steps may be combined where suitable. Ensure that the steps are in
the correct sequence. Any step that is out of order may miss serious potential hazards or
introduce new hazards. Each step should be started with a verb (such as ‘do’, ‘remove’,
‘open’ or ‘fix’).
Each step is to be written on the JSA form in the respective column.
8.7 Identify the resources required to perform tasks in each
step
The front page on the form allows the workers to record what resources are needed for the
job. Some examples are listed below:
• isolation equipment (such as tags, locks, etc)
• work permits eg. working at height or isolation permit
• equipment, tools, materials, or parts
• competencies required to carry out the task
• personal protective equipment (PPE) required including specialised PPE (such as
harnesses etc)
• other precautions identified by the MSDS (such as ventilation)
• procedures for coordinating activities
• design drawings or plans
• safe access exits and transport
When a JSA is being used to assess a job or task involving equipment such
as machinery or plant and interconnected mechanical items (such as
hydraulics, gears, pulleys, levers, motors, gearboxes etc) careful
consideration must be given to potential secondary knock-on effects of
actions outlined in the JSA.
Serious accidents have occurred where a seemingly safe act such as
disconnection of a chain, in combination with a creeping hydraulic cylinder
has resulted in creating a secondary hazardous condition of that chain
falling onto people while carrying out the task. For technically complex
situations, the task should therefore be assessed using a risk assessment
tool other than a JSA.
• time required to carry out the task
• team – number of people to safely carry out the task
• people with specific skills
• leadership and guidance
• communication methods
• a pre-prepared JSA (if any) noting that:
• it may not be suitable for all situations
• it may need a risk assessment
• it may be useful for regular tasks or scenarios
• if a pre-prepared form is used it is important that personnel ‘own’ the resulting
document
• it represents a minimum expectation for the JSA.