GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR

DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING

Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

Index
SN Name of experiments Page No.
1 Study of gravimetric dust sampler
2 Study of thermal precipitator dust sampler
3 Study of konimeter / simslin dust sampler
4 Study of portable lamps
5 Study of lamp room design
6 Measurement of methane percentage
7 Study of various occupational diseases
8 Study of enquiry report related with inundation of any mine Pending
9 Study of enquiry report related with fire damp explosion of any mine
10 Study of enquiry report related with roof fall / other accident of any mine

1
 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-01
OBJECT- STUDY OF GRAVIMETRIC DUST SAMPLER

THEORY-
The gravimetric dust sampler is a self-powered portable instrument for use in the gravimetric (by
difference in weights) sampling of respirable airborne dust in mines and other locations. The harmful
dusts are collected on the filter.
Ambient Fine Dust Sampler is an advanced sampler which is used for determining the concentration in
atmosphere of particulate matter of size 2.5 microns and smaller in combination with our
gaseous sampling add-on, the instrument can also be used to measure the concentration of gaseous
pollutants in the atmosphere.
Gravimetric dust samplers are of two main types:
a) Gravitational settling type of elutriator – settling type of elutriator
b) Cyclone type of elutriator- settling type of elutriator

HISTORY-

The MRE dust sampler (type 113A) and the SFI Drager sampler belong to the former type while the
SIMPEDS (Safety in Mines Personal Dust Sampler) and SIMQUADS (Safety in Mines Quarry Dust
Sampler) in UK, BAT-I in Germany and American gravimetric dust sampler, belongs to the latter type.
While the former are relatively bulky and serve as good long- duration fixed point dust samplers, the
latter are usually light (except for BAT-I) and can be mounted on a miners safety helmet or clipped to his
coat lapel so as to be near his breathing point. That is why they are generally chosen for personal dust
samplers.

The British gravimetric dust samplers with both gravitational settling and cyclone type of elutriator are
claimed to give a dust separation curve closely matching the one recommended by the Johannesburg
Conference (Curve C). The SFI Drager sampler gives a curve B which differs only slighter from the
above. But the BAT-I sampler as also the American sampler give a different separation curve as indicated
by curve A.

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 Figure 1: Dust separation curves

Construction and Working of MRE 113A Sampler-

Figure 2: Gravimetric dust sampler-type MRE 113A

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This type of instrument recommended for use in Indian mines, Manufactured by Casella, England. This
sampler is a fixed point instrument comprising a horizontal elutriator (1) provided with a slotted resistor
plate (2) to minimize the effects of cross air-flow at the front end. At the rear end, the elutriator is
connected to a filter holder (4) which is turn, is connected to the diaphragm pump (5) driven by a DC
motor (8) through gear and crank (7). The pump draws in mine air through the elutriator and then through
the filter and discharge it to the atmosphere through a flow smoothener (10) and a flow meter (9) which
indicates if the correct flow rate is maintained. A Counter geared to the pump records the total flow in
liters and can be reset to zero after every reading. The motor is supplied from a 900-mAh capacity Ni-Cd
rechargeable battery through an intrinsically safe circuit. The current consumption is 65mA so that the
instrument can be safely worked for a 12 Hours period. The instrument made of stainless steel is
230X120X175mm in size and weighs 4.1 kg.
The instrument is normally provided with a 4- channel elutriator which performs
according to the recommended separation curve C (Figure: 1). Provision is also there for fitting it with an
8- channel elutriator which separates out all particles of <5µm equivalent diameter. 55mm diameter filters
of either glass-fibre paper (Whatman type GF/A) or constant weight membrane filters (German MF 500)
mounted in reloadable stainless steel holders are used for collecting samples. The pump is normally set to
have an aspiration rate of 2.5X10-3 m3min-1 +/- 4%. The instrument is claimed to give highly repeatable
readings with a standard deviation of 8%.

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 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-02
OBJECT- Study of thermal precipitator dust sampler

THEORY- This method utilizes the principle that when a body surrounded by dusty air is heated, a dust
free zone is produced around the hot body, the extent of the dust-free zone depending on the temperature
gradient between the hot body and the surround air. If such a zone (Figure: 1) is intercepted by two glass
cover slips and a current of dusty air allowed to enter the space between them in the direction shown, the
dust in the air gets deposited on the cover slips at the points A and A’ where it remains attached by
molecular attraction. The velocity of thermal precipitation for microscopic particles with relatively small
temperature gradients is given by “Davies” as follows:

Where, v = precipitation velocity in ms-1,

T = temperature in K
And dT/dx = temperature gradient in Km-1

Figure1: Dust free space around a hot body

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Through the phenomenon of thermal precipitation was discovered by Aitken and first utilized by
Whytlaw-Gray and Lomax, it was Green and Watson who designed the thermal precipitator in its present
form in 1935. The thermal precipitator is claimed to have 100% efficiency in collecting all dust particals
below 5µm size which are indeed the particles dangerous to health.

CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING -

• The instrument consists essentially of a precipitator head (Figure: 2) comprises a nichrome wire,
heated (constant) electrically to a temperature of about 373K by current from a 2-V cap-lamp
battery.

Figure2: Thermal- precipitator head

• The heater wire is held between the brass blocks of the precipitator head, separated from them by
two thin insulating strips on either side.
• The strips also serve as spacers between the wire and the thin glass cover slips which are inserted
into the cylindrical openings in the precipitator head on either side of wire and are held in
position by two cylindrical brass plug.
• The brass plug also serves in conducting away the heat from the glass cover slips, thus
maintaining a constant thermal gradient (400 X 103Km-1).
• The precipitator head is normally screwed on the top of a water aspirator consisting of a flat water
tank of 300cm3 capacity which has a discharge nozzle (designed as 7cm3/min & sampling
velocity of 1.4 m/min) at the bottom fitted with a tap.
• On opening the tap, water from the tank runs out and fills the 100cm3 measuring cylinder at the
bottom (Figure: 3).

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 Figure3: Thermal Precipitator

• At the same time air to be sampled is drawn into the tank through the precipitator head
where all the dust is precipitated. The volume of air sampled is given by the volume of
water collected in the measuring cylinder. Normally the air inlet into the precipitator head
is covered with a wire gauge for preventing very large particles of dust entering the
precipitator head.
• Duration of sampling depends on the dust concentration, it me be as 30 minutes.
• After the sample has been collected on the cover slips, the latter are mounted on a
75X25mm microscopic slide, and then counted under high-power microscopic using a 2-
mm oil immersion objective and a 12x ocular so as to get a magnification of 1000.
The particle concentration is obtained by using the following relation:

Where, c = concentration in p.p.c.c.

N = total number of particle counted,
L = length of the dust strip on the cover slip in mm
B = breath of the dust strip on the cover slip in mm
A = total area in mm2 over which counting has been done OR
= area of the graticule X no. of spots counted
V = volume of sample counted in cm3

7
 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-03
OBJECT- Study of konimeter / simslin dust sampler

THEORY - Apparatus used to measure dust in mine atmosphere. A measured volume of air is drawn
through a jet so as to impinge on a glass surface coated with glycerin jelly i.e. sample collected. The
adherent dust is then examined and the particles are counted under the microscope. Also called Zeiss
konimeter.
Dust sampling instruments using inertial precipitation are based on three principles: impaction,
impingement and centrifuging.

CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING

Construction and working as per given figures are: -

Figure1: Zeiss Konimeter

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• As per figure1 (a) Zeiss konimeter mounted on on a counting stand (A). it consist essentially
of the pump (B) and the microscope (C). by pressing the piston handle (D) to the lowest
position against the action of the spring (E) (Figure2), the piston moves to the bottom of the
cylinder and is retained there by the catch (F).
• The piston is released by pressing the button (G) which releases the catch and thus lets the
spring push up the piston to the top position thus sucking the certain volume of air through
the suction port (H).
• In the Zeiss Konimeter, the pump can be set to sample 5cm3, 2.5cm3 or 1cm3 of air by
suitably setting the piston handle.
• Dust laden mine air enters through the inlet port which made funnel is shaped in order to
avoid inertial separation of dust at the entrance.
• The air impinges on the glass slide (J)(Figure2) through a tapered jet(I) which has a diameter
of 0.5mm and is placed 0.5mm away from the glass slide, inlet port of cap (K) for protecting
it from dust.
• The glass slide is coated with a thin layer of an adhesive such as pure white Vaseline or
petroleum jelly.
• When the dust laden air impinges on the slide, the dust gets deposited on the slide due to its
inertia while the clean air goes out into the jump cylinder through the annular opening around
the jet.
• The glass slide is held tight against the rubber ring (L) thus making the space between the
slide and the jet air tight.

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 Figure2: Sartorious mining-type konimeter

• The glass slide (Figure1(b)) is divided into 30 division which are numbered, by
rotating the glass slide, a particular division can be brought under the sampling jet for
collection of the sample, thus enabling 30 samples to be collected on the same slide.
• After the sample has been collected, it is brought under the microscope by suitably
turning the glass slide and the particles are counted. The microscope comprises a
16mm objective and a 15x eye-piece giving a total magnification of 200.

10
 𝜋
• The eye-piece contains 2 opposite sectors each covering 10 𝑟𝑎𝑑(18º) are marked out.
It is sufficient to count the particles in these 2 sectors and multiply the figure by 10 so
as to get the total count of accuracy of +/- 12%.
• The narrow space between the close parallel lines in the graticule represents 5µm so
that while counting, particles greater than 5µm in size can be left out.
• Besides, there are parallel lines at right angle to each other and spaced 60µm apart
covering the whole graticule in order to get the total count over the whole field vision.

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 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-04
OBJECT- Study of portable lamps

THEORY- It was discovered by SIR HUMPHREY DAVY in 1815. It was discovered with dual purpose
of detecting methane as well as mine illumination. Many modifications have been done to the flame
safety lamp. Now a day the flame safety lamp (mostly used for methane detection) are based on
MARASAUT-MUESELER principle. Some of the main/major modifications made to the safety lamp
since its discovery are:
• Introduction of glass cylinder around the flame
• Addition of internal chimney
• Two gauzes instead of one
• Safety locks, arrangement for relighting, controlled air-feeding arrangement
Methane in mine air can be detected either by using chemical analysis in laboratory or by using
flame safety lamp and special instruments called methanometers. Using safety lamp or
methanometers, methane can be detected on the spot in underground.
WORKING PRINCIPLE OF FLAME SAFETY LAMP

The principle depends on the fact that when a methane air mixture comes in contact with the flame of the
safety lamp, the gas in the vicinity of the flame burns forming a blue cap on the flame. The height of the
cap depends on the percentage of methane, since at low percentages, the heat of combustion is not
sufficient to ignite the gas beyond the limit of the cap. However the greater percentage of methane the
greater is the heat produced by its burning and hence the greater is the height of the cap so much so that at
about 5% methane, the burning gas fills the wire gauze of the lamp and the flame is extinguished. That is
why it is always better to raise a safety lamp slowly upwards when testing for the firedamp so that there is
no chance of the lamp getting extinguished by suddenly entering a zone of high concentration of gas near
the roof.

In the usual testing procedure, known as cap test, the wick of the lamp is lower until only a white fleck or
a line in case of a flat wick is left at the tip of the reduction zone. The lamp is slowly raised. The
percentage of the gas present is indicating by the height of the cap produced by the burning methane
which is usually of a blue-gray color.

The height of the cap depends on with a 12.5mm wide wick and burning an equal mixture of colza and
paraffin are following-

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• Nature of the wick(Round or Flat): Round wicks are used in Germany, round wicks are easy to
trim and gives more suitable testing flame than flat wicks
• Width of the wick: The wider the wick the longer is the cap. A rough rule is that the height of the
cap equals the width at 2%, one and a half times the width at 3% and twice the width at 4% of
methane.
• Nature of fuel used in the lamp: Lamps burning fuels with high boiling point, such as paraffin or
mineral colza and paraffin, usually give a 2.5mm high testing flame whereas with low boiling
point fuels such as naphtha and colzalene the testing flame is higher, i.e. 3.8mm. So also the
height of cap increases with fuels of lower boiling point for the same percentage of methane.

Figure1: Gas caps in a flame safety lamp with different concentration of methane (G.B. Mishra,
1986)

Though the cap test with a reduced flame gives a more accurate test for methane, it is often
customary to carry out an accumulation test first with a luminous flame of a standard height. The
aluminous-flame test gives a better indication of methane since it produces more heat inside the
lamp which causes better lamp ventilation resulting in a large quantity of methane being drawn
inside the lamp.
It is clear from figure 1 that a normal flame safety lamp cannot measure methane concentration
below 1.5% with any degree of accuracy. It is therefore quite inadequate to measure the statutory
permissible concentrations in mine for which more accurate methanometers have to be used.

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General construction of the flame safety lamp-
The flame safety lamp can be divided into three main sections – lower, middle and upper
sections. There are various components in all the three sections.

Figure2: Flame Safety Lamp

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Table shows Components of flame safety lamp in different sections along with their
functional details
S.N. Section Name of the components
1 Lower Fuel vessel, burner, wick assembly, a
screw, locking arrangement, and re-
lighting device(if available)
2 Middle Two sets of rings interconnected by
five steel rods, glass (may be one or
two set-inner and outer) around the
flame, chimney, two asbestos washer
3 Upper A bonet, two steel wire gauzes(of 20 or
28 mesh
size), handle / hook
Fuctions/Details
Locking arrangement is generally of
magnetic type. It can be opened only
in the lamp room. Thus, once it is
locked, it cannot be opened in the
underground.
Ring and rod combination serves to
protect the glass. Rings have holes to
allow air in/out.
Chimney is introduced to increase the
illumination produced.
Asbestos washer is used to make the
assembly air tight.
It is the wire gauze which is
responsible for the working of flame
Safety lamp and not allowing the
ignition of methane, even if present in
the general body of air. Handle serves
the purpose of holding the lamp while
detecting methane.
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 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-05
OBJECT- STUDY OF LAMP ROOM DESIGN

Theory- The lamp room consists of 3-4 raw of plank in a rack and placed in order with charging port with
indicating meter in parallel connection, and has number of racks as per requirement. All the lamps are
printed as serial number. And a lamps room consists of a counter or “Batti Room”, where kept all the
records about lamps; issue for shifting, under maintenance, damages etc. and also has a maintenance
room.

Figure1: Lamp Room Design

All the arrangement of lamp room established at the entrance of the mines. At the time of shifting (3-
shift) starts all the manpower or employers have to required attendance or record with issuing their lamps
and after end of the shift all the manpower have to put their lamps on their respective place with plug on
the charging port. And also record conditions of the lamp, proper observed by the assigned person.

Lamp room has a maintenance room, where maintain by adequate person like oiling, greasing, electric
circuit, replace decayed/damaged part with DGMS approve new parts.

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A lamp which can be hooked to the helmet and a connecting cable, the lead acid battery consists of two
cells.
In the Oldham cap lamp unit each cell of the lead acid battery consists of a number of composite lead
antimony tubes or plates.

Figure2: Lamp Charging Rack

The electric cap lamps used in our mines are the popularly known Oldham cap lamp and the cap lamps
manufactured by mine safety appliances Co. Ltd. In both type of cap lamps the entire cap lamp unit
consists of a 4-V lead-acid battery (re-chargeable type), the lead acid battery consists of two cells. Each
cell consists of a number of composite lead-antimony tubes or plates carrying the active materials and
immersed in a 30% solution of H2SO4 and distilled water.
The bulb is krypton filled for high efficiency and is rated at 4-volt, 0.67amp. giving light output of 30
lumens. The life of the bulb in the pit is about 500 hrs.

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 Figure3: Lamp Charging Rack

In the lamp charging room the charging room accommodates 100amps on a 102-type charger. All the
lamps are connected in parallel and are charged on a constant potential system, the low voltage D.C.
power required (at about 5-6 Volts) being obtained from a transformer rectifier unit. The correct voltage
for charging with Oldham constant potential charger is 4.8 as indicated on the panel voltmeter. On the
charging rack above each battery position are charging contacts to which the head piece is applied when
the lamp is placed on charge and also a meter which indicates whether or not charge current is flowing.

The negative charging contact is a key mounted on the headpiece board. After that it requires turn in
clockwise direction 180º that’s why getting positive charging and also complete their circuit. When the
lamp is fully charged, the charging current to the individual lamp is automatically cut off, though other
lamps continue to get charged on the same charging rack.

The Oldham lamp (and also the M.S.A. cap lamp) is designed for a “selfservice” system in which the
miner himself puts high lamp on charge in the lamp room at the end of the shift and removes it himself
after 12-16Hrs.

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 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-06
OBJECT- Measurement of methane percentage

THEORY- Methane is a product of decaying of cellulose (C6H10O5)n and is formed whenever vegetable
matter decomposes under water and out of contact with air, as in marshes also called marsh gas. It forms
part of coal seams and associated strata as coal has been formed millions of years ago in that manner.
Factors affecting gas emission are;
• The nature of the coal seam and adjacent strata
• The method of mining and the type of coal cutting machines used.
• Speed of advance of a longwall face or of the general production faces in Board and pillar
method.
• The ventilation arrangement and their efficiency.

Methane is a colourless and odourless gas with a sp. gr. 0.559; 1m3 of methane at NTP (273.15K and
101.33kPa) has a mass of 0.716 kg. That is why it has a tendency to accumulate in cavities at the roof of
drives. It is slightly soluble in water, 100 volumes of water dissolving 3.3 volumes of methane at 293K. it
burns with a blue flame producing Carbon dioxide and water.

CH4 + 2O2 = CO2 + 2H2O

The reaction gets self accelerated leading to an explosion and this is the most hazardous character of
methane which has engaged the attention of mining engineers.
The combustion of methane can be expressed as

CH4 + 2O2+ 8N2 = CO2 + 2H2O + 8N2

The methane content of coal, defined as the volume (m3) of gas in a unit mass (t) of virgin coal under
natural conditions, depends on the degree of coalifications or rank of coal, higher rank coals containing
more methane.

The method commonly used for measuring gas content is the direct method where a core sample of coal is
taken to the laboratory in a sealed container and measured for the amount of methane desorbed after
crushing. It has been observed by Bertard that the sample collected from exposed face beyond 2 to 6m
depth face practically gives constant desorbable concentration. Sample must be collected on the sealed
container. However there is certain volume of gas desorbed during the time between extraction of sample
and sealing on the container. While the second quantity canbe measured, the first can be estimated taking
the desorbed quantity to be propositional to the square root of time. Attempts have been made to account
for the methane liberated during coring by measuring the methane dissolved in the drilling fluid, but to no
specific advantages.
An indirect method of estimating the methane content of coal is by measuring the shut-in pressure in
boreholes drilled into coal and correlating it with the methane content. Measurement by U.S.B.M. in

19
borehole drilled from the surface to virgin seams show that the pressure is slightly less than the
hydrostatic pressure. they, therefore, developed an empirical correlation between the depth of hole and the
gas content in the form

𝐴ℎ
V = 1+𝐵ℎ
Where, V = volume of adsorbed gas, h = depth of hole, and A and B are constant.
So far we have considered the gas content of coal in normal conditions. But in certain special cases such
as in geologically disturbed areas where the coal is highly crushed containing a large proportion of voids,
the gas content may substantially increase. Moreover such gas is generally in a free state and can be easily
emitted into mine excavation.

It is common observation that the volume of gas emitted into the mine atmosphere far exceeds the
methane content of the coal mined; the letter accounting for only 20-30% of the total gas emission, rest
comes from exposed of the rib pillars.

Indian coal mines are classified into three groups of gassiness based on the rate of methane emission:

(a) Degree I- upto 1 m3/t

(b) Degree II- upto 1-10 m3/t
(c) Degree III- greater than 10 m3/t

Pulverization of coal during cutting, loading, transportation etc. causes desorption of methane. The size of
coal block produced at the face has great influence the percentage of methane emission. Large lumps
release only 2% of their total gas content in the 1st 10 minutes, coals of 0.25-1mm size release 40% and of
<0.25mm size, 66%.

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 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-07
OBJECT- Study of various occupational diseases

Theory-
A worker working in mines many have to face some occupational health hazards mainly due
to environmental and working condition the main diseases are:
1. Nystagmus
2. Ankylostomiasis
3. Pneumoconiosis
4. Silicosis
5. Asbestosis
6. Siderosis
3 to 6 diseases are mainly due to dust and rest 1 and 2 resulting from working
condition and environment like insufficient of light and dirty mud or water.

Nystagmus
This is peculiarly an underground miners disease. The term nystagmus is applied to diseases in
which the muscles and nerves of the eyes affected and there is an abnormal movement or
oscillation of the eyeballs. This diseses is caused by working over number of years in place of
insufficient of light.
Before introduce electric cap lamp used older type of flame safety lamp had candle power less
than 0.6 lux, that’s why resulted in nystagmus among a large number of coal mines.
Therefore remedial action are required and made standard of illumination and periodical eye
testing once in 5 years.

Ankylostomiasis
Ankylostomiasis or miners anaemia is practically the same disease as “hookworm diseases” and is
caused by a thread like blood sucking worm which enters the body through the skin. Miners working in
insanitary conditions and cutting coal, standing in dirty water with bare feet over long hours, may be
aaffected by this diseses.
The symptoms are pain in stomach, loss of apetite, constipation, followed by diarrhea and dysentery. A
person seriously affected looks anaemic; positive knowledge is obtained by examining the stools for
hookworm eggs.

Pneumoconiosis
Dust in mines and other dusty places of work in factories causes dieses of the lungs which are grouped
under the general term Pneumoconiosis. the term is applied to all conditions the lungs resulting
from the inhalation of dust over long periods, but in recent years, distinct terms are being used

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to denote the diseases caused by specified dust, e.g. silicosis (by silica or quartz dust);
siderosis (by iron oxide dust); berylliosis (by beryllium either in the form of dust or fumes);
asbestosis (by silicate of magnesium), etc.
Dusts from lime stone, shale and some metallic cores are not harmful. Although it is generally
agreed that anthracite and bituminous dust do not produce lung diseases, they do cause
asthmatic conditions when breathed over a long period.

Classifications of Pneumoconiosis
The classification of the Pneumoconiosis may be made according to the physical nature of the
dust or by the type of tissue response to the particular agent and clinical and roentgen features
of the particular dust diseases. The inorganic dusts producing the diseases are classified as:
A. Fibrosis producing: Silicosis and asbestosis are the most important in this group.
These dust are slightly soluble.
B. Non-Fibrosis producing: Antracosis is the chief example in this group. These dust are
inert and become encapsulated in the tissues or absorbed but do not produce fibrous
tissue.
C. Toxic and/ or irritant: this group comprises lime, dichromate compounds, lead,
mercury and other heavy metals. These are corrosive and cause severe local reactions.
If absorbed into the body sufficient amount, generalized toxic affects appear.

Silicosis
This is most disabling and worst of all the dust diseases. It results in fibrous tissues of the lungs and
may ultimately lead to tuberculosis.
Workers engaged on stone drifting, tunneling, rock drilling (both surface and underground), and stone
crushing are more prone to silicosis and also engaged worker in grinding, polishing industry, iron and
steel industry.
It has been found that particles of silica measuring 05 to 2.5microns in dia. are most apt to produce
damage. Dust particles of silica are partly transformed in the alveoli into poisonous silisic acid
(H2SiO3) which passes into the blood.

Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a kind of pneumoconiosis which results from the inhalation of hydrated
magnesium silicate. An important feature of this diseses is the presence of asbestos bodies in
the lung and sputum. Fibrosis of the lungs develops faster in asbestosis that in silicosis and in
extreme cases a person may die of asbestosis within five years of the onset of symptoms.

Siderosis
Siderosis is caused by inhalation of iron dust. Electric arc welders are also apart to develop
this type of diseases due to the fact that the electrodes used in the process are composed of
approximately 99% ferrous materials. The fume arising from the electrodes contain inorganic
substances, particularly finely divided iron oxides.

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 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-08
OBJECT- Study of enquiry report related with inundation of any mine

THEORY- Inundation is the major problem or hazardus of the mining causes loss of lifes, lost of assets
and machineries/equipment, it can be prevent by taking pro-active action during the mining.

23
 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-09
OBJECT- Study of enquiry report related with fire damp explosion of any mine

Theory- Firedamp (which is mostly methane) is given off from almost all coal seams in varying
quantities and this gas forms and explosive mixture with air when it is present in the range of
approximately 5% to 15% and maximum limit of explosibility of methane is about 10%.

At this point oxygen twice as compare to methane, this is sufficient to ensure complete combustion. Two
factors are essential to cause an explosion namely:

1. The presence of an explosive mixture

2. A suitable source of ignition

Explosions are a phenomenon of underground coal mining and they may be due to-

1. Firedamp alone
2. Coal dust alone
3. Both firedamp and coal dust.

Ignition of firedamp-air mixture may be caused by any of the following:

1. Flames from naked lights, match sticks, burning coal, oil etc.
2. Heated surface like incandescent filament of an electric lamp, overheated gauzes of flame safety
lamps, bearings, rock or metal surfaces heated by friction.
3. Sparks from electric cables and apparatus, static sparks from compressed air pipes, frictional
sparks from light metal alloys, iron pyrites etc.
4. Flame and hot gases gives off by a shot, incompletely detonated explosive continuing to burn etc.

Enquiry Report

Dhori Colliery 28.05.1965

Owener: Bokaro & Ramgarh Ltd. 268 Killed
(East Bokaro Coalfield)

On the night between the 27th and 28th of May, 1965 at about 1AM one of the biggest disasters in the
.history of coal mining took place at Dhori Colliery. It caused tremendous material damage and killed 268
persons, this being the highest number of deaths in an explosion in India.

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The Dhori Colliery has a number of seams, namely: Amlo, Upper Kargali, Lower Kargali, Bermo and
the Karo group of seams including Phusro seams. At the time of accident only Bermo seam was being
worked underground. Immediate south of working of Bermo seam had a big fault known as the
Gobindapur-Pichri fault represented well defined crushed zone. The northern upthrown area was free
from fault that’s why working was carried out there. The fault had brought the Upper Kargali seam of
the southern downthrown block almost in juxtaposition with Bermo seam of the northern area. Upper
Kargali was known to be a gassy seam.

Upto the time of the explosion, the mine was treated as non-gassy. Naked lights (hurricane lanterns) were
used in the mine for the purpose of illumination. There was no mechanical ventilator, the air being
circulated by natural ventilation only.

Cause of the accident

Two rival theories had been placed before the Court of Enquiry by the parties. One of them Department
of Mines and other Management theory had given their report. As per Department of Mines there was an
accumulation of firedamp within explosive limits in 15 level south of BI.10A incline prior to the
accident. It was ignited by the hurricane lantern of a person who entered this gallery. The reason why
the person entered the gallery, which was not being worked at the time, could not be definitely fixed. As a
result of this ignition, a firedamp explosion was caused, so coal dust explosion was initiated, which soon
propagated to all the parts of the mines.

As per management, the idea probably had its origin in the 45 day strike which was called off only a week
before the day of the explosion. The management’s theory set forth that:
1. There was no gas in the mine prior to the explosion
2. The seat of ignition was the blind dip gallery in the 9th level east in Amlo Incline
3. The explosion in the aforesaid gallery was due to a coal fire intensionally ignited by human
agency which came into contact with some kind of explosive substance such as gunpower or
gelatin placed in container.

The explosion suggested by the management did not fit in with the general direction of propagation of the
explosion. The court therefore supported the theory put forth by the Department of Mines and accepted
the cause of the accident as firedamp explosion initiating a series of coal dust explosions, the seat of
ignition being near the dead body in 15 south level of BI.10A incline.

The contributory causes of the accident were:

1. Lack of ventilation
2. The use of naked lights in the mines
3. Presence of coal dust and the failure to treat it properly

As a result, the court of enquiry made the following recommendation:

1. Even in non-gassy mines, all workers of underground mines should provided with electric cap
lamp
2. All the mining sardars, shotfirers and overman must be trained and can able to detect the presence
of methane in the mine atmosphere and should have valid gas-testing certificate.

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3. All mines gassy or non-gassy type should be required to gas testing within 100m, including faces
and other places by using more accurate and sensitive instrument than flame safety lamp.
4. Even in non-gassy mines, steps should be taken better ventilation with regular measurement.
5. The distance to which a gallery can be driven “blind” must be enforced.

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 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Lab Manual

SUBJECT: Mine health and Safety Lab CODE: 339662 (39)

EXPERIMENT NO.-10
OBJECT- Study of enquiry report related with roof fall / other accident of any mine

Theory- Roof fall is the major problem in Indian underground coal mines, fatal accidents occurring more
than 50% from roof fall and side fall.

Roof formed as the gallery advance, but due to lake of erection of support or as per SSR not erected support
so that all of sudden roof fall without any indication that’s why behind the accident of the roof fall in Indian
coal mines. When a small boulder fall from roof it can caused reportable or serious bodily injury and
sometime becomes fatal accident.

Causes of roof fall:

1. Lack of erection of support

2. Supports are not used as per SSR or immediate roof condition
3. Type of immediate roof; shale, sandstone and coal, shaly roof absorb moisture itself and became loose
and fall frequently
4. Thickness of immediate roof
5. Area of extraction

Enquiry Report

Sitalpur Colliery 15.10.1910

Owner: Bengal Coal Co. Ltd. 12 Killed
Raniganj Coalfield

Pillars were being extracted in the Dishergarh seam which was 6m thick and lay at a depth about 90m.
Immediately above the coal seam was 1.2m of shaly sandstone which was overlain by hard and massive
sandstones right upto the surface. Owing to tender nature of the shaly sandstone, 1.5m of coal was left
under it to provide support to it. During depillaring it was found that the shaly sandstone along with its
coal support used to fall down immediately after withdrawal of the timber. At times, its collapse might be
delayed by a few hours but the delay had never exceeded two days. The hard sandstone roof above
however remained unaffected even after large area had been extracted.

Depillaring had been going on for 18 months and an area of over 22000m2 had been extracted, yet the
main roof had not fallen in any part of this area. The accident was caused by the fall of the immediate roof
over a small area.

The accident occurred at 7.15 PM on Saturday the 15th October. On Friday morning a stook was being
reduced and by noon the work was completed when it was reduced to a size of about 1m x 0.5m. by
evening all timber in this area was withdrawn. Crush on the left over stook was noticeable at this time
showing that the roof was being strained. No further work was done that night.

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Early morning on Saturday the assistant withdrew timber from a neighboring stook and here the roof fall
immediately. An hour later manager was arrived and he saw that the roof of the stook which was
extracted on Friday was still standing except for a small patch near the left over portion of the stook
which had crushed. He saw about 15te of roof coal was lying in this goaf precipitated from the recent
collapse and he was tempted to take that coal out.

Roof appeared to be sound and he issued order for the area to be re-timbered. At 5.30 PM the assistant
reported to the manager that the place had been re-timbered. A little before 7 PM, 24 miners were
engaged under the supervision of mining sardar to load the fallen coal. At 7.15 PM the roof collapsed
suddenly without any warning killing mining sardar and 11 workers and two injured. Only those carrying
coal to the tubs escaped.

The miners were admitted to work in a goaf from which timber had once been withdrawn. The resetting
of timber must have been carried out under conditions of danger and this course of action was pursued in
spite of the experience possessed by the manager of the treacherous nature of the roof. There was no
proof of the number of props which were re-set as the fall had buried whatever there might have been.

If the props in the goaf had been demolished by the vertically applied weight of the roof, the cracking of
timber would have given ample warning of the impending danger. But as there was no such warning,
what might have happened is that owing to the slope of the previous fall, it was not possible to set timber
right to the goaf edge in consequence of which the unprotected roof had heeled over and the timbers were
in this way knocked out.

The manager, who held a second class certificate of service, was managing this mine under a temporary
authorization granted by the CIM. After this accident his authorization was withdrawn.

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