Safety Policy of BCCL

1)                  Operations and systems will be planned and designed to eliminate or materially reduce mining hazards;

2)                  Implement Statutory Rules and Regulations and strenuous efforts made for achieving superior standards of safety; 

3)                  To bring about improvement in working conditions by suitable changes in technology;

4)                  Provide material and monetary resources needed for the smooth and efficient execution of Safety Plans;

5)                  Deploy safety personnel wholly for accident prevention work;

6)                  Organize appropriate forums with employees’ representatives for Joint consultations on safety matters and secure their motivation and commitment in Safety Management;

7)                  Prepare annual Safety Plan and long term Safety Plan at beginning of every calendar year, unit-wise and for the company, to effect improved safety in operations as per respective geo-mining needs to prepare the units for onset of monsoon, to fulfill implementation of decisions by Committee on Safety in Mines and Safety Conferences and to take measures for overcoming accident proneness as may be reflected through study of accident analysis, keeping priority in sensitive areas of roof-falls, haulage, explosives, machinery etc.

8)                  Set up a frame work for execution of the Safety Policy and Plans through the General Managers of Areas, Agents, Managers and other safety personnel of the units;

9)                  Multi-level monitoring of the implementation of the Safety Plans through Internal Safety Organization at the company headquarters and Area Safety Officers at area level;

10)              All senior executives at all levels of management will continue to inculcate a safety consciousness and develop involvement in practicing safety towards accident prevention in their functioning;

11)              Institute continuous education, training and retraining all employees with the accent placed on development of safety oriented skills;

12)              Continue efforts to better the living conditions and health of all the employees both in and outside the mines;

13)              Ensure that every one in the Organization is aware of the safe working methods and follow them in day-to-day work;

14)              Develop the skills of employees as a skilled worker can only be a safe worker;

15)              Constantly evaluate the personal protective equipments available, in the market and supply them to our employees and train them in their proper use;

16)              Ensure Pre-entry (IME) and periodical medical examination for all workers;

17)              Improve the working environment and to minimize Air and Water pollution;

Steps taken / being taken to improve safety in BCCL mines

To Control Roof and Side Fall Accidents

• Roof bolting support system has been standardized and activated in all underground mines except few.
• Action taken for procurement and supply of adequate number of roof bolts and bearing plates.
• Action taken for procurement and supply of adequate quantity of cement capsules required for full column grouting
• Action taken for procurement and supply of adequate nos. of lightweight anchorage testing machines used for monitoring of anchorage strength of roof bolts.                                                                
• Action taken for purchasing 35 Nos. of Somna drills in addition to 52 Nos. of Pneumatic Roof Drilling machines for roof bolting in hard stone in the roof.
• Video cassettes / CD “On Safe Practice of Roof Bolting” prepared and supplied to each mine for viewing the same to the mine people
• Number of  Hindi / English Flex Poster on roof bolting activity were prepared and circulated among the mines for improving the work culture
• Services of Scientific Institutions like NIRM, CIMFR & ISMU are being taken up for scientific investigation and studies in different mines on strata management
• Efforts are made to inculcate safety awareness among all workmen including tramming personnel so that they would keep away from resorting to set-riding

• Safety Seminars have been conducted to minimize Haulage accidents.
• Traveling roadways are being made in In-Take and distance being made shorter to the best possible limit for motivating workmen  to travel through Traveling Road .

To control accidents in open cast mines

• Stress has been given to improve the overall lighting in Open Cast mines
• Separate roads have been/being provided for light vehicles and pedestrians in OCP
• SOP(Safe Operating Procedure) has been provided to all dumper operators, shovel operators, drill operators, light vehicle operators, dozer operators and blasting crew,
• Safety Slogans and Traffic Rules have been displayed in all open cast mines at conspicuous places.
• Fire Extinguishers have been provided in all HEMMs and other vulnerable places.
• Only muffled blasting is allowed in open cast mines and blasting done as per approval from DGMS.

General Safety Precautions

• In every mine, Daily Safety Pledge is being administered by all workmen at the beginning of each shift.
• Safety Talk is delivered by the mine officials and Safety Committee Members daily at pit top before starting of the shift
• Training and Re-training of all workmen including supervisors are being taken up
• Inspection of all mines is done by Bipartite Inspection Team of BCCL consisting of Top Management Representative of Company and Trade Union Representative of company level as per schedule
• Safety Audit  of all mines of BCCL is done by Mining Experts  at  regular interval to know the possible dangers at the mines
• Escape routes other than the normal travelling roadways have been prepared and maintained at such mines, where there is likely possibility of danger from Inundation, Gas, Fire etc., so that workers can come out safely during the mishap, if any.
• Latest technique of Ground Penetration Radar to determine the barrier thickness where one side is unapproachable  has been used through NIRM at three mines Pootkee, Phularitand and Madhuband in the year 2004
• Senior officers of company HQ are inspecting mines from time to time in back shift to improve the supervision in back shift.
• Mock rehearsal is being conducted every year before onset of monsoon

Role of Safety Department         

1. Developing safety activities / practices and continuously reviewing, improving and updating them as and when the changed circumstances demand
2. Ensuring that everyone in the organization is aware of the safe working methods and follow them in day-to-day work
3. Developing the skills of employees as a skilled worker can only be a safe worker
4. Evaluating the personnel protective equipment available in the market and supply them to our employees and train them in their proper usage
5. Conducting safety audit of each mine with a view to know the inherent dangers of the mines and to suggest remedial measures.
6. Investigation of accidents, identification of the causes of accidents, suggestions on prevention of similar ones in future and follow up on the suggestions.
7. Control to reduce the accident rates to the barest minimum and to achieve Zero accident being the ultimate aim
8. For the health and prevention fatigue among the employees working at the mines and departments, the following safety measures are to be developed
   1. Pre-entry and periodical medical examination
   2. Survey of Mine Dust Evolution and Dust Control Techniques
   3. Supply of filtered and wholesome drinking water at the mines and colonies
   4. Provision of man-riding facility at the mines where long and arduous travel problem exists
   5. Improving working environment at the mines
   6. Minimizing air and water pollution in general environment.

Activities of Corporate Safety Department

1. Drawing a proper Safety Policy at Corporate level.
2. Evolving a suitable mechanism for effectively monitoring of Safety Policy
3. Continuously reviewing and updating the Safety Policy
4. Establishing a system of regular mine inspections for assessment of safety status.
5. Conducting independent enquiries into mine accidents and dangerous occurrences
6. Arranging Tripartite Safety Review Meetings twice in a year with the Management, the Directorate of Mines Safety and the Unions
7. Arranging inspection of all mines by Company Level Bipartite Safety Committee Members in a financial year 
8. Organizing Safety Week, First-aid and Rescue Competitions at Company level
9. Attending at Standing Committee Meetings, National Dust Prevention Committee Meetings, Expert Committee Meetings etc., at the National level
10. Forwarding report to the Ministry and other Govt. bodies after duly approved by Director and CMD.
11. Monitoring the  follow up action and preparation of compliance reports in respect of the following
    1. Recommendations of Safety Conferences.
    2. Recommendations of Standing Committee on Safety in Coal Mines
    3. Tripartite Safety Review Meetings at Company level.
12. Circulation of DGMS circulars to all the mines and departments
13. Preparation of video-cassettes / CDs on various safety activities
14. Assisting formulation of Risk Management Plans to the Mines and follow up for implementation of the Plans
15. Follow up action on deficiencies pointed out during Safety Audit of the mines
16. Follow up for procurement and supply of safety material to mines
17. Coordinating the DGMS officials regarding safety matters
18. Issuing Safety Clearance certificates after  proper scrutiny and inspection of new districts, new machinery etc., at the mines.