DGMS (Tech)/SOMA/Cir. No. 7 Dated, the 10^th July, 2001.

To

All

Owners/Agents/Managers of Mines

Sub: Accident due to explosives.

In a recent accident in an opencast mine it was revealed that while two persons were charging shot holes with the help of an iron rod in close vicinity of another five persons who were engaged in drilling holes, explosive inside the shot hole got exploded causing fire and explosion to uncharged explosive kept near the face. Flying fragment and burning materials caused by the explosion inflicted serious bodily injuries to all the seven person two of whom succumbed to their injuries.

The extant regulation under CMR’1957 & MMR’1961 provide for the following :

1) Before a shot hole is charged stemmed or fired, the shot firer/blaster is required to see that all the persons in the vicinity have taken proper shelter.

2) In charging or stemming a shot hole no metallic tool/scrapper or rod is to be used.

In the instant accident it is evident that the accident happened merely due to negligence and human failure. In spite of specific provision of law, the persons in the vicinity were not removed before commencement of the charging operation and an iron rod was used for charging the shot holes, which resulted into loss of two precious lives and serious injuries to five persons.

All concerned are therefore advised to take utmost care during charging a shot hole so that similar accident to do recur. It is sincerely believed that management will spare no efforts to eliminate accident due to above causes.

Director-General of Mines Safety