Assessing the health of mine works and second generational effects

Minerals are valuable natural resources. They constitute the vital raw materials for many

basic industries and are a major resource for development. The wide availability of the

minerals provides a base for the growth and development of the country and there are

huge mineral resources of fuel, metallic and nonmetallic minerals including minor

minerals. Mining is an important activity for development of the Indian economy. India

produces as many as 95 minerals, which includes 4 fuel, 10 metallic, 23 non-metallic, 3

atomic and 55 minor minerals (including building and other materials).

What are the ores/minerals mined?

Coal

What are the side effects/health hazards of mining those minerals/ores?

Most of miners suffer from various respiratory and skin diseases such as

asbestosis, silicosis, or black lung disease. Furthermore, one of the biggest

subset of mining that impacts humans is the pollutants that end up in the water,

which results in poor water quality due to contamination of ground water.

To coal miners, exposure to coal mine dust causes various pulmonary diseases

including coal workers pneumoconiosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary

diseases. Coal mines are also exposed to crystalline silica dust which causes

sillicosis, COPD etc.

How many workers are currently working at the mine? – 500 Nos.

- What is the approximate age of the workers – Approx. 36 Yrs.

- What is the gender divide ( male female ratio) – male 100%

- Are there young adult workers - age 16 and above? - NO

(As per the mine act, 1952 only person above 18 yrs can be engaged)

What is the provision given to workers ?(Healthcare/ check ups/ insurance/

government offered healthcare/ private healthcare) -

Medical check ups of Mine workers at the time of appointment as per the

standard P-I prescribed in Mine Rules and every alternate 5years as per the

standard P prescribed in Mine Rules.

What is the residential provision of these workers?

- Do they live together in a community – YES, Nearby Villages

- Do they live close to the mining site - YES, workers from the other states in the colony.

- Is it a residential area allotted by the company - YES

- Does the family (spouse/ children) reside with the workers - NO.

What are the common health issue that the workers deal with

- Bronchitis

- Lung infections

- Blood pressure

- Musculoskeletal issues

- Skin related issues

- Audiometry limitations

What are the safety gear/equipment's the workers wear while on site?

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as hard helmets, mining footwear and protective clothing. For underground, cap-lamps and self- rescuers. Underground communication systems (Telephones) are fixed in conspicuous places and mining statutory personnel are carrying portable calibrated gas detectors for monitoring of workings. All the PPE are approved by Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) - a regulating authority of GoI for mine safety and workings.

What is the protocol for entry into the mine?

A miner should undergo Initial Medical Examination at the time of first

appointment. If found fit , he will be appointed and details of the candidate

shall be entered in the Form - A . Before entering into mine , he should

undergo Initial Training under MVTC Rule 1966 at Belgaon Unit Vocational

Training Center depending upon the type/ class/ category of appointment.

Miner will be permitted to enter/ allowed in the mine to perform his duties

after completion of training.

Infrastructure support in the area

- No of hospitals with emergency response - One Government hospital in Warora.

- Medical response on site ? (Emergency kit/ healthcare officer on site) - having tie-up with a private hospital (Khapne Hospital) at Warora for treatment in case of injury. One First aid room in the Pit mouth with attendant having first aid certificate in all 3shifts are being maintained.

How is underground mining done?

The procedure involves access to underground from surface by horizontal/vertical or

incline shafts (Adit - for horizontal entry, Incline/Decline/vertical Shaft - for vertical or

sloping entry) entry by drilling & blasting into the rock/coal/ore body. This is

followed by drilling, blasting & supporting of sub levels horizontally developed at

consistent intervals (as shown in figure 1). A series of circular patterned blasts are

detonated from each level and the demolished ore is excavated

What is the purpose of mining?

Mining is the process of extracting useful materials from the earth. Some examples

of substancesthat are mined include coal, gold, or iron ore

What are the three types of underground mining?

Underground mining methods become necessary when the stripping ratio becomes

uneconomical, or occasionally when the surface use of the land would prohibit surface

mining. Underground methods are traditionally broken into three classes:

unsupported, supported, and caving - with stowing or without stowing methods

of working.

How many types of ventilation are there in mining?

With respect to fan locations and airflow direction, there are primarily three ventilation

systems: exhaust (pull) system, where the mine fan is located on top of the return

airshaft; blowing (push) system, with the mine fan installed at the intake airshaft; and

combined system (push-pull), with fans on both the intake.

Why is ventilation important in underground mines?

Good ventilation in underground mines gives the ability to remove and dilute

harmful dust and gas. The dust and gas can be a by-product of the ore being mined,

explosives or machinery exhaust.

What are the fundamental principles of Under-ground Mine Ventilation Systems?

The fundamental principles of airflow may be set out as follows:

a. Air flow in a mine is induced by pressure difference between intake and exhaust

openings.

b. The pressure difference is caused by imposing some form of pressure at one point

or a series ofpoints in a ventilating system.

c. The pressure created must be great enough to overcome frictional resistance and shock

losses.

d. Airflows flows from point of higher to lower pressure.

e. Mine ventilating pressures, with respect to atmospheric pressures, may either

be positive(forcing) or negative (exhausting).

What are the risks faced by workers in underground mines?

Workers face many issues like the collapsing of the roof or sides walls of tunnels/

mine workings. The mines could flood with water due to various factors. As the

workers deal with explosives to blast coal, they are also exposed to poisonous gasses.

What are the reasons for accidents in under ground mines?

Mine accidents can have a variety of causes, including leaks of poisonous gases such

as hydrogen sulphide or explosive natural gases, especially firedamp or methane, dust explosions, collapsing of mine stopes, toxic gases arising from mine fires, mining-

induced seismicity, flooding, or general mechanical errors.

What is risk assessment in mining?

This involves identifying and analysing all technical and non-technical issues facing

an enterprise then defining mitigation measures to bring the risks to an acceptable

level.

What are the safety rules of mines?

1. Prioritize Planning

2. Maintain Rigorous Standards

3. Wear Personal Protective Gear

4. Pay Attention to Equipment Upkeep

5. Improve Visibility

6. Take Lifting Precautions

7. Manage Vibration and Noise Levels

8. Account for Harsh Temperatures

9. Ventilate Harmful Gases

10. Shut Down Old Shafts

11. Implement Rock Burst Prevention Measures

12. Stay Aware of Fire Risks

13. Watch for Dust Hazards

14. Keep Electrical Safety in Mind

15. Prepare for the Possibility of Slips and Faults

16. Consider the Potential for Cave-Ins

17. Emphasize Communication

18. Take Advantage of Professional Training and Refreshers

19. Periodic training & re-training to mine employees & workers.

How can we prevent mining accidents?

7 Safety Tips to Reduce Mining Accidents

1. Don't Ignore the Danger. ...

2. Dangerous Tasks Require Planning and Communication. ...

3. Get Professional Training. ...

4. Always Wear Safety Equipment. ...

5. Supervise Your Team. ...

6. Document Your Safety Procedures. ...

7. Follow the Latest Safety Standards.

What are the 5 safety measures to follow before getting into the mine?

1. Assess hazards. Assessing the hazards is maybe the most critical step to mitigate safety risks.

2. Maintain a culture of safety. A (miner) safety culture is the fundamental basis for a safe work environment.
   

3. Wear Personal Protective Gear.

4. Keep your equipment in perfect shape.

5. Improve Visibility

What are the 7 environmental impacts of mining?

The key environmental impacts of mining are on wildlife and fishery habitats, the water balance, local climates & the pattern of rainfall, sedimentation, the depletion of forests and the disruption of the ecology.

What are the three major causes of accidents in mines?

Unsafe conditions, lack of proper inspections, noncompliance of occupational health and safety measures are the common causes of accidents in mines

What are the benefits of underground mining?

Underground mining is practical when: The ore body is too deep to mine profitably by open pit. The grades or quality of the orebody are high enough to cover costs. Underground mining has a lowerground footprint than open pit mining.

How does underground mining affect the environment?

Unlike open mining, underground mining extracting coal resources through the wells, usually leads to land subsidence, water resources destruction, soil erosion, air pollution and biodiversity decrease.

What are drawbacks of underground mining?

Although there are opponents and proponents of underground mining, the disadvantages include destruction of land, surface subsidence, abandoned shafts, extensive surface spoil heaps, mine explosions, collapses and flooding, disturbance to ground water table level

What fan is used for underground mines?

A booster fan is an underground fan installed in series with a main surface fan

and used to boost the air pressure of the ventilation air passing through it.

How do mines get oxygen?

The concept is known as “flow through” ventilation: air is sucked into a shaft

underground by fans on the surface, while extractors at the top of the mine drag

the air back out. As it passes through the various passageways of the mine it brings

with it the fresh supply of oxygen.

What is risk management mining?

Risk management is a central component of safety and health management systems

(SHMS) involving a cyclical process of identifying operations or activities at high risk for

injuries, redesigning operating procedures to reduce risks, implementing these changes

and evaluating their effectiveness.