D irectorate General of Mines Safety APPROACH PAPER 12 th National Conference on Safety in Mines OSH ISSUES OF CONTRACTUAL WORKERS STRATEGY TO IMPROVE SAFETY STATUS
Reasons for presenting approach paper AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR AUGMENTING PRODUCTION LEVEL TO MEET THE DEMAND OF THE NATION BY MINING COMPANIES GLOBALIZATION CREATED STIFF COMPETITION AMONG THE MINING COMPANIES. TO SUSTAIN, CONTRACTUAL MINING IS TAKING CENTER STAGE TO MEET THE EVER GROWING DEMAND FOR MINERALS. INCREASING TREND OF CONTRACTUALIZATION OF MINING OPERATIONS RAISING CONCERN OVER THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE STATUS OF THE CONTRACTUAL WORKERS.
The challenges of contractual mining are – TENDENCY TO MANIPULATE THE PRESCRIBED SAFETY STANDARDS TAKING SHORT CUTS FOR MAXIMIZING PROFITS. LACK OF ADEQUATE TRAINING AND SAFETY AWARENESS OF THE CONTRACTUAL WORK FORCE IS ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS FOR CREATING UNSAFE AND ACCIDENT POTENTIAL SITUATIONS IN THE MINES.
This paper examines:- the Indian mining sector against the backdrop of changes in the composition of the sector, problems and hazards of contractual mining in India, the recommendations made in respect of OSH of contractor workers at previous (10 th and 11 th) National conferences on safety in mines status of implementation and proposes strategies to improve safety and health status of the contractual workers in mines.
Contractual Mining in India THE AVERAGE DAILY EMPLOYMENT OF CONTRACTUAL AND REGULAR EMPLOYEES IN THE MINES DURING 2005 TO 2014 IS GIVEN IN TABLE-1 WHICH REVELS THAT THE AVERAGE CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES IN 2014 IN COAL, NON-COAL AND ALL MINES INCREASED TO ABOUT 300%, 150% AND 200% RESPECTIVELY OVER 2005. THE TREND OF DEPLOYING CONTRACTUAL WORKERS IN THE MINES IS FURTHER INCREASING.
INCREASE IN CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYMENT Table 1: Average Daily Employment of contractual and regular employees in Mines Coal mines Non- coal mines All mines Year Contract Regular Total Contract Regular Total Contract Regular Total Employee Employee Employee Employee Employee Employee Employee Employee Employee 2005 15,785 3,83,105 3,98,890 33,739 1,26,466 1,60,205 49,524 5,09,571 5,59,095 2006 17,560 3,68,145 3,85,705 23,023 1,34,281 1,57,304 40,583 5,02,426 5,43,009 2007 23,168 3,56,288 3,79,456 27,163 1,43,771 1,70,934 50,331 5,00,059 5,50,390 2008 25,222 3,44,192 3,69,414 26,643 1,53,018 1,79,661 51,865 4,97,210 5,49,075 2009 29,449 3,44,501 3,73,950 44,130 1,40,892 1,85,022 73,579 4,85,393 5,58,972 2010 30,847 3,39,291 3,70,138 48,606 1,43,634 1,92,240 79,453 4,82,925 5,62,378 2011 35,163 3,30,874 3,66,037 58,378 1,41,744 2,00,122 93,541 4,72,618 5,66,159 2012 39,538 3,18,976 3,58,514 60,873 1,42,036 2,02,909 1,00,411 4,61,012 5,61,423 2013 40,855 3,17,065 3,57,920 57,633 1,53,692 2,11,325 98,488 4,70,757 5,69,245 2014 47,772 3,08,132 3,55,904 51,563 1,56,293 2,07,856 99,335 4,64,425 5,63,760 2015 50,445 2,89,779 3,40,224 54,470 1,68,386 2,22,856 1,04,915 4,58,165 5,63,080 2016 54,394 2,85,055 3,39,448 51,445 1,72,693 2,24,138 1,05,839 4,57,747 5,63,586 2017 58,274 2,75,751 3,34,025 49,733 1,79,447 2,29,180 1,08,006 4,55,198 5,63,204
INCREASE IN CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYMENT IN COAL MINES Company Regular Contract Name Regular Contract Total % % CIL 01.02.17 280386 28319 308705 90.2 9.2 NLC (2014) 15000 10000 25000 60% 40% SCCL 56033 10800 66833 84 16 Total 351419 49119 400538 87.8% 12.2%
IN COAL INDIA ABOUT 61% PRODUCTION OF COAL AND 74% OF OB REMOVAL ACTIVITIES ARE CARRIED OUT BY CONTRACTORS THOUGH CONTRACTUAL POPULATION WHICH IS ABOUT 9.2% IN SCCL ABOUT 15% COAL PRODUCED AND 81% OF OB REMOVAL BY OUTSOURCING AGENCIES THOROUGH CONTRACTOR’S WORKERS WHICH IS ABOUT 16%. SIMILAR TREND IN OTHER SECTORS ARE ALSO GAINING ACCEPTANCE AS A MODEL OF MINING. OVERCROWDING DUE TO PRESENCE OF LOW CAPACITY TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE CAUSING A MAJOR PROBLEM WHERE WORK IS OUTSOURCED.
Concerning Safety, Health & Welfare issues of Contractual workers INCREASING TREND OF CONTRACTUAL WORKS IN MINES GENERATED NEW CONCERNS ON SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE WORKERS EMPLOYED BY THE CONTRACTORS. THE ACCIDENT STATISTICS ALSO REVEAL THE FACT THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF INVOLVEMENT OF CONTRACTOR WORKERS IN FATAL ACCIDENT IS INCREASING IN MINES. THE AVAILABLE DATA REVEAL THAT FATALITY RATE IN INDIAN MINES IS MORE IN CASE OF CONTRACT WORKERS THAN THE REGULAR EMPLOYEES. TABLE-2 AND FIGURE-1 SHOW THE TREND OF FATALITY RATE OF REGULAR AND CONTRACT EMPLOYEES PER 1000 PERSONS EMPLOYED IN INDIAN COAL MINES.
Accident scenario in Indian Coal Mines Year Fatal Fatalities Serious Seriously Accidents Accidents Injureds* 2013 77 82 456 468 2014 59 62 379 394 2015 54 55 302 316 2016 67 94 268 278 2017 58 63 183 188 2018 19 20 78 82 * Serious Injuries of fatal accidents are also included. Note :Figures updated as on 31.05.2018 and figures for the year 2018 is provisional.
Accident scenario involving contractual workers comparing regular employees No. of fatal accident with (fatalities) Year Contract Regular Total 2015 15 (15) 39 (40) 54 (55) 2016 16 (18) 51 (76) 67 (94) 2017 23 (23) 35 (40) 58 (63) 2018 2 (2) 17 (18) 19 (20)
Table 2: Number of fatalities & fatality rates in coal mines during the year 2001-2018 No. of Fatalities Fatality Rate per 1000 Persons Employed Contract Regular All Contract Regular All Year Employees Employees Employees Employees Employees Employees 2001 12 129 141 1.13 0.3 0.32 2002 5 92 97 0.44 0.22 0.23 2003 13 100 113 1.14 0.25 0.27 2004 6 90 96 0.51 0.23 0.24 2005 10 107 117 0.63 0.28 0.29 2006 15 122 137 0.85 0.33 0.36 2007 12 66 78 0.52 0.19 0.21 2008 22 71 93 0.87 0.21 0.25 2009 17 76 93 0.58 0.22 0.25 2010 23 95 118 0.75 0.28 0.32 2011 16 51 67 0.46 0.15 0.18 2012 20 63 83 0.51 0.2 0.23 2013 17 65 82 0.42 0.2 0.23 2014 7 55 62 0.15 0.18 0.17 2015 15 40 55 0.30 0.14 0.16 2016 18 76 94 0.36 0.26 0.28 2017 23 40 63 0.44 0.14 0.18 2018* 2 18 20 0.10 0.15 0.14
Trend of fatalities Contractual workers THE ACCIDENT STATISTICS ALSO REVEAL THE FACT THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF INVOLVEMENT OF CONTRACTOR WORKERS IN FATAL ACCIDENT IS INCREASING IN MINES. THE AVAILABLE DATA REVEAL THAT FATALITY RATE IS MORE IN CASE OF CONTRACT WORKERS THAN THE REGULAR EMPLOYEES. ANNEX
The graph shows that the fatality rate per thousand contractual persons employed in coal mines is much higher than that of regular workers during 2001 to 2018.
TREND OF PLACEWISE FATALITIES IN COAL MINES INCREASING TREND OF FATALITIES IN OPENCAST MINES THAN IN BELOWGROUND MINES
Contractual workers are vulnerable category contributing more number of accidents than their proportion. The rate of accident in case of contractor is 2.47 times more than regular worker during the period 2010-2016. Hence, vulnerability of contractual workers is a serious concern today. THE TREND OF INCREASE IN CONTRACTUAL WORKS IN MINES GENERATED NEW CONCERNS ON SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE WORKERS EMPLOYED BY THE CONTRACTORS.
NON PROVISION OF WELFARE AMENITIES PRIME FACTOR LEADING TO ACCIDENTS IN MINES CONSIDERED TO BE FATIGUE OF CONTRACTUAL WORKERS TAKING INTO LIVING CONDITION OF CONTRACTUAL WORKERS RESIDING IN CONTRACTOR’S CAMPS ESTABLISHED NEAR TO THE MINE IN RESPECT OF PROVISION OF DRINKING WATER, HYGIENIC FOOD, POOR MAINTAINED CANTEEN INCLUDING MEDICAL FACILITIES. THUS IT IS THE NEED OF HOUR TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON ABOVE CONCERN ISSUES FOR PROVIDING BETTER WELFARE AMENITIES TO SAVE GUARD THE PRECIOUS HUMAN LIFE.
CONGESITION OF WORKPLACE REQUIRING SPACE MANAGEMENT SERIOUS CONCERN REGARDING CONGESTION OF WORKPLACE DURING LOADING AND UNLOADING DEPLOYING HUGE NO. OF LOW CAPACITY CONTRACTUAL TIPPERS AND PRESENCE OF LARGE NUMBER OF TIPPER DRIVERS AND HELPERS INCLUDING OUTSIDER TRUCKS, TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF ACHEVING TARGET DISPATCH OF COAL THROUGH ROAD TRANSPORTATION WITHOUT CONSIDERING SPACE MANAGEMENT
The photographs in reality shows constraints of space (Issue of Land), permitting/allowing parking of huge no. of contractual tippers in constraint small area either at weighment bridge area or loading/unloading area, requiring to think about space management to curb accidents in such vulnerable accident prone areas.
ACCIDENT ANALYSIS & ASSESSMENT Most of the fatal accidents in coal mine are attended by one or more hazards as revealed from the analysis. Different approaches are made to categorizing hazards with an ultimate aim to know what led to the accident and the resulting loss.
REVIEW OF ACCIDENT SCENERIO Review of statistics of fatality and Examination of each of mine accident provides a clear picture of the most common causal factors and a better understanding of where to focus in improving efforts.
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