Analysis of accidents in marble mines

Period
- 1998-2003
S.No. Cause No. of Accidents Percentage

1. Derrick crane operation 10 3.5

2. Fall of sides 8 2.8
3. Fall of persons 7 2.45
4. Explosive 2 0.7
5. Transportation 2 0.7
6. Wire saw operation 1 0.35
7. Moving parts of machinery 1 0.35
8. Toppling of blocks 1 0.35
9. Electrical 1 0.35
 Accidents due to fall of sides
Causes :
• Sliding of rock mass along the cleavage plane/slip plane.
• Fall of sides due to fractured sides/weak zone.
• Fall of sides due to high benches in the loose & fractured strata.
• Sliding/parting of the rock mass due to effect of rain water/other source
of leakage water on the weak planes.
• Rolling of boulders from the edge and falling on to the persons taking
rest/working.
• While standing on the block being cut by wire saw machine, a piece
parted and fell down along with the persons.
• Fall of sides on the persons taking rest underneath high, fractured &
unstable benches.
• Parting/sliding of sides or parting of rock mass from the block itself
along the slip planes while positioning the wire saw machine.
• Waste/rejects/blocks dumped/strewn on the benches fall on the persons.
Remedial measures from fall of sides:
1. Geo-technical study of the deposit & mapping before commencing
mining operations.
2. Design of benches & face layouts based on knowledge of geological
structures like faults, folds, fractures, fissures,cracks,joints etc.
3. Filling of geological discontinues like cracks, fissures etc. to make the
sides stable.
4. Regular inspection by the qualified officials.
5. Keeping the sides dressed & edges cleaned upto 3m. Dumping the waste
away from the working area and maintaining proper housekeeping.
6. Be more cautious during the rainy season.
7. Not allowing workers to take rest below the high sides of benches.
8. Providing protective equipments like helmet,shoes,safety belts etc.
9. Arranging mobile rest shelters so that persons don’t take rest in the
shadow of high benches/overhanging sides/loose stones.
10. Training of workers regarding unsafe practices.
 Accidents due to derrick crane operation
Causes :
1. Structure/welding/parts failure & toppling of the crane.
2. Changing gears while lifting load.
3. While moving the block, it hit the side of the quarry snapping the sling.
4. Faulty operation of crane - while positioning the block in the truck,
unbalanced block suddenly tilted & hit the worker.
5. Lateral pulling/dragging of the blocks.
6. Excessive load being lifted beyond the capacity of the crane.
7. Breaking of the block while being lifted & falling down.
8. Tilting of the blocks while putting the slings.
9. Wire saw cutting & crane loading operation near by each other.
10. While fixing the slings.
Remedial measures for derrick crane operation:
1. Crane shall not be used for lifting objects heavier than the rated
capacity.
2. Crane shall not be used for dragging/pulling objects.
3. Gears shall not be changed while crane is under load.
4. Regular NDT tests for structural stability.
5. Crane shall be installed on sound & secure foundation and adequately
anchored to the in-situ rock mass.
6. No person shall be allowed to remain within the swinging circle of the
crane.
7. Two slings shall be used. Development of System for checking of slings
and discarding worn out slings.
8. Competent person shall Check for safety devices, brakes, limit switches,
slings & general condition of the crane before operation.
9. Coordination between various job activities.
10. Training & retraining of operators.
 Accidents due to fall of persons from height into depth
Causes :
1. Fall of person into depth while walking/drilling/watering the
cut.
2. Fall of persons while dressing/dislodging the boulders on the
sloping sides of the quarry.
3. Presence of the persons near the edges of the quarry top/
benches without any work.
Remedial measures :
1. Provision of fencing at the top of the benches/quarry.
2. Use of safety belt while working on the sloping or at the edge
of high benches.
3. Training of workers to make them aware of the dangers of
working/sitting at the edge of high sides..
 Accidents due to Wire saw operation
Cause :
1. Breaking of wire & flying of diamond beads,springs,washers etc. It is
observed that braking of wire ropes in marble mines is a common
phenomenon . Sometime persons are involved and most of the time,
there is prudential escape by God’s grace.
Remedial measures :
1. Provision of suitable guards over moving parts/safety screens.
2. Removal of persons from the danger zone.
3. Timely wire replacement, proper tensioning, speed limits, provision of
guide pulleys, proper joints, sufficient water availability, proper
positioning of the blocks, electrical apparatus & maintenance etc.
3. To carry out further consultation with the manufacturer with a view to
altogether stop breaking of wire ropes. A committee consisting of user,
manufacturer, DGMS, technicians, researchers may be formed to
address the whole gamut of wire saw operation to make this operation
safe. The Committee may also consider ways and means of providing
suitable guards as a second line of defense.
Transportation :
1. Operating vehicles carelessly and over speeding.
2. Moving vehicles either forward or backward without proper audio-
visual alarms or horns.
3. Unauthorized operation of vehicles by inexperienced persons.
4. Unauthorized and careless riding on vehicles.
5. Sleeping and unauthorized movement in active areas.
6. Unsafe haul roads.
7. Unsafe dump yards.
8. Improper artificial lighting at dark hours and in fogs/ smogs.
9. Non-provision of proper footpaths separate from haul roads.
10. Improper maintenance; ineffective brakes; lack of automatic emergency
braking systems, missing, broken or dirty wind-screens.
11. Insufficient training of operators and maintenance crew.
12. Taking rest/sleeping underneath or nearby the vehicles
Remedial measures for truck transport.
1. Frame “Traffic Rules” based on various
recommendations of safety conferences and
circulars issued by DGMS from time to time and
compliance thereof to safeguard against accidents
due to movement of vehicles.
2. Frame “Code of Practice” for safe tipping &
dumping & implement it.
3. Impart training to employees to create awareness
about various hazards associated with movement
of vehicles.
Explosives :
Cause :
1. Flying fragments. Not warning all concerned within the
danger zone and not posting guards at all points of entry
into the danger zone.
2. Not taking shelter despite the warning.
3. Accidental blast while handling, transporting, preparing
charges or stemming.
4. Misfired shots – Hammering iron wedge into misfired shot.
Inadequate attention to misfired holes & sockets.
5. Blasting from unsafe places without being in the blaster
shelters.
6. Firing shots with insufficient length of fuse.
Remedial measures :
• Provision of Magazines.
• Appointment of qualified blasters & carrying out blasting
by them only.
• Providing special training to workers handling explosives.
• Carrying out blasting during the fixed hours only and
ensuring withdrawal of persons from the danger zone. Use
of sirens/hooters and posting of signboards indicating
blasting hours. Making aware of local people regarding
precautions to be taken during blasting hours.
• After blasting, checking for misfires and properly dealing
the misfires.
• Use of proper blasting tools.
• Compliance of provisions of MMR,1961.
Machinery :
Cause :
• Exposed moving parts of the machinery.
• Faulty design of machineries & lack of built-in safety.
• Keeping safety devices inoperative.
Remedial measures :
• Provide suitable guards on the moving parts of all the machineries.
• Keep liaison/enter into contract with manufacturer for updating the
machines to provide built-in safety features in the machines and proper
check up machines from time to time.
• Introduction of preventive maintenance.
• Use of protective equipments like goggles, gloves, helmet, shoes etc.
• Safe use of machines depend on good design, proper maintenance &
sound operating practices.
• Regular training of maintenance staff & operators.
Toppling of marble block :
Cause :
• Flying of pieces while toppling of the block.
Remedial measures :
• Preparation of proper bed.
• Fixing of danger zone & removal of all the persons to the
safe zone before commencing toppling.
• Proper use of hydraulic jacks, air bags etc.
Miscellaneous other measures to improve safety in marble
mines:
1. Appointment of qualified managers & supervisors in the
mines.
2. Formulate rigorous inspection procedures instead of simple
visual inspections.
3. Establish sound safety policy. Management’s commitment
at the highest level is the key to success.
4. Restructuring and amalgamation of small leases into bigger
ones of atleast 4 hectares.
5. Earmark the area for waste disposal in each area.
6. Development of suitable methods for better recovery of
marble & utilization of waste.
7. Standardization of marble mining machineries.
8. Development of ‘Safe Code of Practices’/ ‘Standing
Orders’ for every operation.
9. Adoption of wet jack hammer drilling.
10. Framing of do’s & don’ts for all machinery operations.
11. Establishment of Group training centers in different areas
having cluster of marble mines.
12. Development of training programme for different
categories & imparting regular training.
13. Celebration of ‘Safety Weeks’ and safety campaigns on
regular basis to inculcate safety consciousness & safety
awareness.
14. Broad based long term mineral policy conducive to safe &
systematic mining as well as to safeguard the environment.