3. INTRODUCTION
Mining is the process, used to extract valuable resources from the Earth.
Coal mining is one of the most dangerous occupations.
Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel on Earth.
Steel and cement industries used coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement
production.
Accidents in the coal mining industry happen to workers, underground mining , at surface mines,
in quarries and in preparation facilities, although statistically the underground miner is at the high
risk to be injured or killed.
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4. Reported list of mine accidents in Pakistan
Accident Date Workers died Workers Injured Mine location
1 02-Apr-16 5 8 Doli area of Orakzai Region
2 12-Mar-16 10 27 Doli area of Orakzai Region
3 19-Feb-16 3 Not available Duki area
4 30-Jan-16 3 Not available Sor-range mine in Quetta
5 19-Jan-16 2 Not available Chamalang coal mines at Loralai
6 08-Jan-16 2 Sharigh Coal Filed
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5. 7 02-Dec-15 3 2 Dukki area of Balochistan
8 27-Oct-15 3 3 Khanote area, Jamshoro district
9 26-Oct-15 2 16 Naran valley
10 26-Jul-15 2 1 Bampokha marble mines in Buner
11 09-Jun-15 1 Not available Khandi Mountain, Karak tehsil
12 19-Feb-15 7 Not available Dukki area of Balochistan
13 09-Feb-15 19 Not available Sinjadi mining area
14 20-Jan-15 1 Not available Pir Sabaq mine
15 15-Jan-15 6 15 Doli, Orakzai Agency area
16 12-Jan-15 2 Not available Khyber Agency area
17 03-Jan-15 12 Not available Ziarat area in the Mohmand district
18 30-Dec-14 2 Not available Feroz Mine, Abbotabad
19 09-Sep-14 3 2 Doli, Lower Orakzai Agency
20 30-Jun-14 2 Not available Yaqoob Brohi village near Jhimpir, Thatta
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6. 21 29-Jan-14 2 5 Doli, Lower Orakzai Agency
22 12-Nov-13 3 Not available Duki Tehsil of Loralai district
23 17-May-13 3 Doli area of Lower Orakzai
24 28-Jan-13 8 2 Dukki area of Balochistan
25 24-Dec-12 8 Not available Dowli area of Orakzai
26 27-Nov-12 2 Not available Tora Wari of Hangu district
27 14-Oct-12 1 2 Doli, Orakzai Agency
28 14-Sep-12 2 1 Shahrag area of the Harnai district
29 26-Jan-12 1 2 Mach, Quetta
30 25-Jan-12 11 Not available Batkinala in Abbottabad district
31 13-Oct-11 9 5 Dasht, Quetta
32 13-Oct-11 5 3 Zarkhu area of Mastung district
33 30-Sep-11 6 3 Bam Pokha, Buner
34 20-Aug-11 4 4 Kot Diji, in Khairpur district
35 27-Jul-11 3 4 Sangni Mehra area, Muzaffarabad
36 20-Mar-11 52 SorRange in Balochistan province
37 11-Jan-10 11 Not available Marwar area
38 02-Jan-10 10 Not available Marwar area
39 04-Jan-10 4 3 Marwar area
Total 233
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8. CAUSES
Occurred on 12 March 2016 (Doli area of Orakzai Region)
Explosion caused by
Methane gas
Concentrated dust particles
Confined place in underground coal mine.
In some cases where the accident was due to a reckless disregard of federal safety regulations
Operation was started illegally.
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9. Cont…
Black damp: a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in a mine can cause suffocation. The anoxic condition results of
depletion of oxygen in enclosed spaces, e.g. by corrosion.
After damp: similar to black damp, after damp consists of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen and forms
after a mine explosion.
Fire damp: consists of mostly methane , a highly flammable gas that explodes between 5% and 15% – at 25% it causes
asphyxiation.
Stink damp: so named for the rotten egg smell of the hydrogen sulphide gas, stink damp can explode and is also very
toxic.
White damp: air containing carbon monoxide which is toxic, even at low concentrations
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11. EFFECTS
In that time, 10 workers were died and
17 were injured
No rules could be followed at that time to protect injured.
Miners face great physical risk due to accidents, explosions and mine collapses
Miners are also directly exposed to toxic fumes, coal dust and toxic metals
Underground mining hazards include suffocation, gas poisoning, roof collapse and gas explosions.
A rescue operation carried out by the political administration and Frontier Corps personnel rescued eight injured
miners, who were rushed to a nearby hospital, and retrieved the bodies of five who had been killed.
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12. CONCLUSIONS
The purpose of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 was to protect the health and safety of the
nation's coal miners.
But accidents highlighted that the callous attitude of both the government and employers to safety in Pakistani
mines.
According to reports, the owner, contractor and mine manager have been arrested, and the company’s mining
license will be annulled. Another six mine owners who were operating mines without permission were also
arrested.
Due to accidents from 2010 to 2016, 240 workers have died in 40 accidents. In less than four months of 2016,
Pakistani mines claimed the lives of 30 mine workers.
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13. Suggestions
Advanced technology should be adopted for coal mining.
Workers must be trained and aware about the risks at workplace.
Occupational Health and Safety guidelines must be followed and monitored and
enforced by the government agencies.
All the necessary health and safety equipment must be provided to the labourers.
The processes and equipment must be modified.
For loading, mobile equipment should be used.
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