1300 Legislation in Indian Mines
Under the Workmen's Compensation Act, the notice in Form 1V-B is
to be sent to the Workmen's Compensation Commissioner also.
Since the notice in Form IV C, in case of metalliferous mines, helps
the management in keeping a check as to when an injured person has
returned on duty, it is suggested that a similar type of notice be introduced
for coal mines also in the Coal Mines Regulations.
The accident notice should also be given for-
(i) any occurrence which indicates that a mine tip, dam, or lagoon
is liable to become insecure (as per ILO Code, 1986);
(ii) an unplanned movement of a vehicle, machine, or any item of
plant or equipment, such as to endanger persons or property;
(iii) a fall, slumping, loss of strength, failure or collapse of the
highwall or spoil area, such as to endanger persons or property;
(iv)an arcing, external to casing, of any electrical equipment in a
hazardous area underground;
(v) an underground creep; or
(vi)where any collapse of the roof material occurs at the mine, and
the removal of the continuous mining machine cannot be completed within
a period of one shift following the occurrence.
Where a notice of accident relates to an accident causing loss of life,
the Central Government shall make, or cause to be made, by an
Inspector, an enquiry into the occurrence within 2 months.
The "serious", "reportable", and "minor" injury have been defined
in Chapter II. A copy of the entries of the reportable injuries (in form J
Schedule I under the Mines Rules) is to be submitted once in a quarter,
and of the minor injuries (in Form K Scheule I of the Mines Rules) is to be
submitted on or before the 20th January of the following year, to the Chief
Inspector. (For details please see Chapter V.)
One reason for the inadequacy of the technical data in the registers of
the reportable and minor injuries may be that they are maintained at the
dispensary, and perhaps by the medical staff. Therefore care has to be taken
to ensure that the entries on-
(i) classification of the cause and place of the accident,
(ii) brief description of the cause of the accident, etc.,
are duly filled in by the safety officer/assistant manager (where appointed)/
manager himself.
Safety, Health, and Sanitation in Mines 1301
For the purpose, a proper system of reporting ought to be developed,
whereby every accident or incident is duly reported by the shift assistant
manager, overman/foreman, or mining sirdar/mate, to the safety officer/
manager. The report should cover the salient features of the accident/
incident, giving as many details as possible. The safety officer/manager
should supplement additional information, where required, based on his
enquiries or inspections.
It is suggested that a separate register, to recorathe incidents, should
also be maintained.
Every accident, other than a serious accident, which involves 5 or
more persons, may also be reported by the mine management immediately
to the Chief Inspector, the Regional Inspector, and the concerned Inspector,
in the same manner as a fatal or a serious accident.
When any accident, resulting in serious bodily injury to any person,
or in loss of life, occurs in a mine, the manager shall inspect the site of the
accident as soon as possible, and shall, either himself or through an
undermanager, etc., also have an enquiry made into the cause of, and
circumstances attending to, the accident. The result of every such enquiry,
and a plan and sections, and, where practicable, a photograph or photo-
graphs, of the site of the accident, showing details, shall be recorded in a
bound paged book (Accident Enquiry Book), kept for the purpose; and a
copy thereof shall be furnished to the Regional Inspector within 15 days of
the accident (please also see Chapters III and V).
Place of Accident not to be Disturbed. Under the Mines (Amend-
ment) Act, 1983, whenever any accident in or about a mine causes loss of
life or serions bodily injury to any person, the place of accident shall not be
disturbed or altered before the arrival, or without the consent, of the Chief
Inspector or the Regional Inspector unless-
(i) such disturbance or alteration is necessary (a) to prevent further
accidents, (b) to remove bodies, or (c) to rescue persons from danger; or
(ii) discontinuance of work at the place would seriously impede the
working of the mine.
Where the Chief Inspector or the concerned Regional Inspector
fails to inspect the place of accident within 72 hours of the time of accident,
work may be resumed at the place of accident.
The Regulations further provide that, before the place of accident,
involving a fatal or serious accident, is disturbed or altered due to any reason
whatsoever, a sketch of the site, illustrating the accident, and all relevent