A PERSPECTIVE OF MINE SAFETY ENVIRONMENT AND EVOLUTION OF AN INTEGRATED SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR INDIAN MINES

摘要

Initially mine safety was perceived mainly as a function of legislation and environment. Over the years, a sense of realization has emerged through the corridor of experience that much greater strides in safety could be made by treating 'mine safety' also as a function of mine workers, their representatives and public opinion. As a consequence, there is a paradigm shift in the legislative perception, which is slowly changing from prescriptive towards a self- regulatory regime, worldwide. In this period of transition, DGMS, which is celebrating its centenary year has a defined role as far as issues relating to occupational safety and health in Indian mines are concerned. The paper gives a chronicle of mining activities in India and also offers an insight into e development of mine safety and health legislation, along with a strategy for improvement in the form of devising an Integrated safety management system for Indian mines.