V – SAFETY CONFERENCE

The Fifth Conference on Safety in Mines was held at New Delhi on 26th and 27th December-1980. This conference was also being organized under the shadow of a major mine accident, happened just one year before , same as the first three Safety Conferences.

(A gas ignition occurred at Baragolai Colliery in Assam on 22 nd July-1979, resulting in 16 deaths and 5 injuries. The possible cause might have been the fall of roof which had dislodged the supports and liberated CH 4, damaging a cable and producing an electric arc. It was evidently a case of gas ignition or mild explosion.)

[The National Conferences on Safety in mines discuss the emerging safety issues in mines to identify the thrust areas for improvement in the safety standards in Indian mines and are attended by different stakeholders from mining industry of the country. The conferences review the status of safety in mining and adequacy of existing measures in improving working conditions in mines in a spirit of mutual cooperation.

This National Conference is the highest tripartite forum at the national level for deliberation on issues connected with safety and health in mines. CEOs of the mining companies as employers' representatives, the leaders of the Central Trade Unions as workers' representatives, representatives of the Central and State Governments, professional institutions, academic and research institutes and members of Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Labour and Employment participate as delegates in the conference.]