45TH CIL SAFETY BOARD MEETING

• HIGHLIGHTS OF 45TH COAL INDIA LIMITED SAFETY BOARD MEETING HELD ON 29.4.2009 AT KOLKOTA
  · ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN COAL INDIA LIMITED
  Ø In safety there is lot of scope for improvement. There is no reduction in accidents. Responsibilities for the accidents are collective.
  Ø Quality of training is to be improved.
  Ø We should have a realistic target to reduce accident by 50% in two years.
  Ø Coal companies which reduce accidents by 50% (excluding disasters) will be rewarded.
  Ø We should achieve the target of procuring Roof Bolting Machines in one year time. We should stop manual roof bolting.
  Ø Man Riding system in mines should be deployed in two years time. Coal companies should take initiative for procurement as is done for production of coal and dispatch.
• · ADDRESS BY SHRI M.M. SHARMA, DGMS
  
  Ø At least one Gas Chromatograph should be procured by every coal company.
  Ø Man Riding System is lagging.
  Ø Accidents trend is increasing in Coal Companies.
  Ø Workers have to be trained and retrained.
  Ø Roof Stitching is not an approved type of roof supporting.
  Ø Quality of Roof Bolts, Cement/Resin capsules are poor.
  Ø Prior to buying Mining Shoes get it tested for quality even if the product has the approval of DGMS.
  Ø Still there is shortage of Statutory Manpower.
  Ø Mine closure is a critical aspect. Proposed New CMR 2008 has provision for this.
  Ø If we cannot take care of health of our workers our purpose of being in the position is not fulfilled.
  
• · ADDRESS BY SHRI SIBAL, DY.DGMS
  
  Ø All Coal companies should be serious about procurement of Man Riding Systems. This issue must be discussed in the Company TSC meeting as to how many systems will be procured before the next TSC Meeting.
  Ø Enquiry Report of NCL Jayant accident is yet to come. If the report does not come how will other projects know how the accident happened and take measures to prevent such accidents.
  
  · ADDRESS BY SHRI MONDAL, ADVISOR(COAL)
  
  Ø The Trade Unions are giving very good feed back about safety in mines in the meeting.
  Ø Training to workmen is very important. Rigorous training is imparted to workmen in coal mines all over the world. Dumper Operators are allowed to operate Dumper only after getting two years training in foreign countries. We should develop such culture in India.
  Ø Australia has wonderful training module for coal mine workers. Wonderful training is given to coal mine workers in Malaysia.
  
  v POINTS RAISED BY BMS IN THE MEETING
  
  § Special attention in respect of safety should be given on Lakhanpur OCP (15 Million Ton Project). DGMS has declared the mine as Accident Prone vide their letter No. 11016/5/2007/SOMA/MCL dated 26.6.2008.
  ü Haulage Road is not proper.
  ü Lighting is inadequate.
  ü High wall.
  ü Insufficient drainage system.
  § Shortage of Statutory persons.
  § Height of high tension line is less in OCP as per Indian Electricity Rule.
  § Fire prone OCPs should have provision of separate fire fighting team to protect the project.
  § To avoid Naxalite action as happened in Nalco Hilltop Bauxite mine, departmental armed security guards should be posted at magazines.
  § Expedite procurement of UDMs
  § Improvement of underground communication system is required.
  § Back-filling in OC mines required
  § Mining shoes are in short supply
  § Surveyed-off dumpers are being used in OCPs without audio-visual alarm.
  § Out sourced coal patches –
  ü are having high walls.
  ü First aid is not available.
  ü Drinking water is not supplied.
  ü Roof bolts are used without bearing plates.
  § Degree-II & Degree-III mines:-
  ü Shortage of testing instruments viz. Multimetre etc.
  ü No maintenance of stone dust barriers.
  ü Non supply of Gas masks.
  ü No water spraying arrangement.
  § TSC Meeting not held for the last one year.
  § In order to make more production of coal Small Drills and Shovels are deployed in the range of Dragline Boom which may cause accident. Range of Dragline is to be determined.
  § Strata Control Officer should be appointed in every UG Mines with adequate powers. This decision has already been taken in the earlier meetings
  § System of blasting card is to be strengthened to avoid accidents. Training to this effect is to be imparted
  § Decisions taken in the meetings of TSC should be implemented or if it is not implemented, action should be taken against concerned employee
  § In place of converted water tankers standard water tankers should be used for water sprinkling to suppress dust effectively. In converted water tankers seepage is more and pressure is very less
  § If accidents occur due to non procurement of safety items by higher officials even after intended, action should be taken against the officials.
  § Violations found during the combined inspection of DDMS/ISO/TSC should be discussed in the PSC meeting and the same should be recorded in the minutes of PSC meeting
  
  · CONCLUDING SPEECH BY CHAIRMAN CIL
  
  Ø Meeting schedule for Company TSC should be drawn within 15 days. Meeting of TSC be held in next three months.
  Ø Shri A.D. Mathur, CGM, Pathakhera, WCL has been selected as ED (Safety & Rescue), CIL in M-4 Grade.
  Ø Recommendations of 10th Safety Conference to be discussed in Company TSC Meetings and the decisions should be sent to CIL.
  Ø Proper function of VTCs should be ensured by Director In-charge of Safety.
  Ø The matter of incapacitation of workmen will be deliberated in CMD’s meeting and see what best can be done for them.
  Ø While floating tender for mining shoes specification of Duck back make mining shoe be given so that other companies which does not have such quality will not attempt to offer tender. Every tender should have clause for replacement guarantee with Bank Guarantee. If the shoes are not replaced money should be deducted from Bank Guarantee.
  Ø Issue open tender immediately for equipment which converts roof movement to alarm to give prior indication of roof fall to avoid such accidents.