Government to focus on goal-based mine safety

In a bid to achieve better result in mine safety and prevent casualties, the Directorate General of Mines Safety has pitched for goal-based mine safety rule instead of the current prescription-based one in the new amedments to the safety regulations.
"The new amendments and regulations are aimed at goal setting in mine safety instead of presciption-based regulations being currently followed," Directorate General of Mines Safety Director General Rahul Guha said here today.
The government is working on a plan to amend The Coal Mines Regulation, The Metalliferous Mines Regulations, The Oil Mines Regulations and the The Mines Act with the focus on setting goal in achieving mine safety.

Amomg these, The Oil Mines Regulations is expected to come out with new regulations to be based on new goal setting based mine safety.
"The Oil Mines Regulations amendments is at an advanced stage and by December the amedments are expected to be notified," Guha said.
"The Mines Act amendments is lying with the group of ministers headed by the finance minister. While, The Metalliferous Mines Regulations is at a draft stage," he added.

He explained that since mining was hazardous and dynamic in nature, prescription-based intervention had reduced fatal accidents from the 70s, but now it had stagnated over the last few years.

"We expect that the goal-based regulations will help in safety management," Guha said.
Between 2011-15, there were 348 casualties from 333 accidents in coal mines. While average annual non-coal mining fatalities are around 50.
According to him, DGMS is also trying to amend vocational training rules with a focus on "identification of hazards and communicating" in the quickest possible time.