THE COAL MINES REGULATIONS-1957

The Coal Mines Regulations, 1957 lay down various precautions and standards from the stand point of the work place environment in the mines. The salient features of the various provisions are outlined hereunder-

Regulation 9- Notice of Accident

(1) (a)When their occurs in or about a mine (i) an accident causing loss of life or serious bodily injury in connection with mining operations; (ii) an explosion or ignition; (iii) a spontaneous heating or outbreak of fire, or appearance of smoke or other indications of heating or outbreak of fire; (iv) an influx of noxious gases; (v) an occurrence of inflammable gas in mine to which Regulation 155 does not apply; (vi) in irruption of water; (vii) an instantaneous failure of a pillar, part of a pillar or several pillars of coal (i.e., a ‘bump’) in workings belowground; (viii) a premature collapse of any part of the workings; (ix) an accident due to explosives; (x) a breakage or fracture of rope, chain, headgear, pulley or axle or bearing thereof, or other gear by which persons are lowered or raised; (xi) an overwinding of cages or other means of conveyance while men are being lowered or raised; (xii) a breakage or fracture of an essential part of winding engine, crankshaft, coupling, bearing, gearing, clutch, drum or drum shaft, or failure of emergency brake; (xiii) a bursting of any equipment containing steam, compressed air or other substance at high pressure; or (xiv) a breakage, fracture or failure of any essential part of any machine or apparatus whereby the safety of persons may be endangered: the owner, agent or manager shall forthwith inform the Regional Inspector about the occurrence by telephone or express telegram or by special messenger, and shall also thereof in Form IV-A to the District Magistrate, the Chief Inspector and the Regional Inspector and in the case of an accident mentioned in sub-clause (i) of this clause, also to the Coal Mines Labour Welfare Commissioner.

(b) When an accident causing loss of life or serious bodily injury occurs in or about a mine in connection with the generation, storage, transformation, transmission, supply or use of electrical energy, the owner, agent or manager shall also forthwith inform the Electrical Inspector of Mines by telephone, express telegram or special messenger.

(2) If death results from any injury reported as serious [under sub-regulation (1) or if an injury other than the serious injury becomes serious], the owner, agent or manager shall with 24 hours of his being informed of the same, give notice thereof to the District Magistrate, the Chief Inspector, the Regional Inspector and the Coal Mines Labour Welfare Commissioner.

(3) In respect of every person killed or injured as above, the owner, agent or manager shall, within seven days of the occurrence, send to the Chief Inspector particulars in Form IV-B.

Regulation 10-Notice of disease

Where any person employed in a mine contracts any disease notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette, the owner, agent or manger shall, with three days of his being informed or the disease, give notice thereof in Form V to the District Magistrate, the Coal Mines Labour Welfare Commissioner, the Chief Inspector, the Regional Inspector and the Inspector of Mines (Medical).

Regulations 98-115- Mine Workings

These regulations define the various parameters of the methods of working in opencast and underground coal mines under various geo-mining conditions and take into account the safety of the mine workings and hence the persons therein.

Regulations 116 to 129- Precautions against Dangers from Fire, Dust, Gas and Water

116- Classification of coal seams according to their degree of gassiness: The coal seams have been categorized into three categories, i.e., the seams releasing methane 10 m3 of methane are Degree III seams. The mine workings are regulated in accordance with the highest degree of gassiness of the seams being worked.

116A-General precautions against fire

117-Surface precautions against fire

118-Underground precautions against fire

118A-Further precautions against spontaneous heating

119-Precautions after a fire has broken out

122 -Precautions when a fire exists

123-Precautions against dust

124-Precautions against irruption of gas

126-Dangers from surface water

127-Dangers from underground inundation

Regulations 130 to 149 -Ventilation-These regulations outline the standard of ventilation, velocity of air current in the mine workings, precautions against fire in ventilation appliances, precautions against gas during de-watering and re-opening, precautions against inflammable gas and noxious gases, general precautions in gassy mines, contrabands, etc. The velocity of air current specified in different mining situations is as given below-

Table: Velocity of air current in different mining situations

Regulations 150 to 158- Lighting and safety Lamps- outline the lighting standards at the workplaces in the mines as given in below Table for opencast and underground mines.

Table: Lighting standards for opencast Mines

Table: Lighting standards for opencast Mines