DGMS Safety Alert 17/2025
Fatal fall-of-overhang at M/s Sneha Crusher, Kolar, Karnataka
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- Safety alerts
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- 2025
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- DGMS circulars
भारत सरकार श्रम एंव रोजगार मंत्रालय खान सुरक्षा महाननदेशालय SAFETY ALERT: 1 7 dated 2 2 . 0 8 . 2 0 2 5 SUBJECT: Fatal accident occurred due to fall of overhang at M/s Sneha Crusher (QL 996), situated in Sy. No. 185, in Makarahalli Village, Malur Taluk, Kolar District, Karnataka (OC mine).
1. Name of Mine :
M/s Sneha Crusher (QL No. 996)
2. Name of Owner :
M/s Sneha Crusher of Shri Narayanaswamy (Nominated Owner)
District :
Kolar State :
Karnataka
3. Mineral :
Building Stone
4. Date and time of accident :
17.03.2025 at 06:40 hours
5. Place of accident :
On the first bench from the top in north direction of M/s Sneha Crusher (QL 996), extent 2-10 acres, situated in Sy. No. 185, in Makarahalli Village, Malur Taluk, Kolar District, Karnataka, LIN: 2-0715-2207-8, Mine Code: 51250394.
6. Killed :
Name: S Venkatesh Designation: Driller Age: 54 Experience: __________ years in drilling Operation.
7. Seriously Injured :
Nil
8. Brief Cause :
“While a crew of three drillers were drilling holes on the 1st bench of an opencast building stone mine, suddenly loose boulders (about 104m³ volumes)
from the overhang from high wall side of the bench fell down from a height of about 24m, inflicting injuries to drillers to which one of them succumbed on the way to hospital, while other two escaped with minor injuries.”
9. Sketch showing the accident:
10.
Best Practices:
1.
Regular geotechnical inspections by qualified personnel, Remove all overhangs or loose boulders before allowing work below and Maintain proper bench angles, widths, and setbacks as per design.
2.
Manually or mechanically remove loose rocks from high walls before work below and Mark and restrict a "no-go zone" below high walls prone to rock fall.
3.
Pre-shift highwall inspection before any drilling activity and Restrict access to unstable benches or areas beneath overhangs until made safe.
*Safety Alert, a tool utilized by DGMS, informs the mining industry about potential safety issues and offers recommendations to prevent such incident.
Directorate General of Mines Safety: 124 years in the service of the nation