Safety features in HEMM and auxiliary opencast equipment

International Year 2025 Of Cooperatives Government of India Ministry of Labour & Employment Directorate General of Mines Safety DGMS (Tech) Circular No.+of 2025 To 1/11/2025.

Dhanbad, DatedRo All Owners, Agents and Managers of Opencast Mines Coal and Metalliferous Mines and OEMS.

Subject: Ensuring Safety Features in HEMM and Auxiliary equipment used in Open Cast Coal & Metal Mines for preventing fatal accidents, serious accidents, and dangerous occurrences.

I invite your attention to the alarming increase in accidents involving Wheeled Trackless Transportation Machinery, specifically dumpers, tippers trucks and similar vehicles etc. deployed by departmental and outsourced in open cast mines. The analysis of accident statistics in coal and metal for the year 2025 revealed that a total of 38 and 32 fatal accidents occurred involving 49 and 39 fatalities in coal and metalliferous mines respectively. Out of the total 12 fatal accidents involving an equal number of fatalities in coal and 4 fatal accidents involving an equal number of fatalities in metal were related to transport machinery such as dumpers, tippers, and similar vehicles. In the same year, a total of 31 and 05 serious accidents in coal and metalliferous mines respectively recorded related to transport machinery, resulting in serious injuries to 31 and 8 persons respectively.

In 2025 (till 30th September, 2025) a total of 10 and 04 fatal accidents reported causing fatalities 10 and 05 in Coal and Metalliferous mines respectively involving transportation machinery. Similarly 07 serious accidents causing 08 serious injuries in coal mines reported in 2025 (30th September, 2025) by transport machinery.

From the analysis of above accident revealed that, most of the fatal and serious accident occurred due to wheeled trackless equipment in coal and metal mines were caused by toppling of equipment (dumpers and tippers) and/or run over by equipment.

The analysis further revealed that all the above accidents could have been averted had the precautions & preventive measures are mentioned in the above guideline circular issued from the Directorate had been taken same may be follows.

Statutory Compliance and Documentation:

1. Gazette notification G.S.R. 987(E), Dhanbad, the 1st October, 2018, on 'Safety features and devices to be provided in Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM)

including trucks and tippers" under Reg. 216(2) of the Coal Mines Regulations, 2017 including fail-safe brake before deploying tippers into operations shall be ensured. Implementation of safety systems as per Bureau of Indian Standard as amendment 1 of 2024 in IS-17055 (Part-6): 2021 Earth-Moving Machinery Safety Part 6 Requirements for dumpers & tippers and DGMS (Tech.) Circular no. 06 of 2020 listed provisions for implementation in all wheeled trackless transport machineries shall be ensured.

2. Wider adoption & usage of proximity warning device/system for adequate and timely alert generation to the Dumper, tipper operators as amendment 1 of 2024 in IS-17055 Part-6 technical standard in all operating wheeled trackless transportation machineries operating in opencast mines in conjunction with following the Safe Operating Procedures (SOP) framed for dumper operation as required under Regulations 63(g) of the Coal Mines Regulations, 2017.

3. Implementation and usage of appropriate mechanical anti-collision devices for all different capacities of wheeled trackless transportation machinery.

4. A warning system to detect operator fatigue, along with an ergonomically designed operator's cabin capable of accommodating varying weather conditions, shall be provided in Dumpersßippers.

5. A separate haul road shall be provided for Light Motor Vehicles plying in the mines premises as required under clause no.7 of the gazette notification no.

G.S.R. 976(E), Dhanbad, the 1st October, 2018 on "Conditions for Haul Roads" under Regulation 101 of the Coal Mines Regulations, 2017.

6. All persons employed or to be employed to operate heavy earth moving machinery including tippers and dumpers shall be trained and their competency shall be evaluated by a Board constituted by the management, who shall be persons who are not connected with imparting training. Training modules for imparting special training to "operators" or "Drivers" of wheeled trackless equipment shall be prepared based on the size, capacity, type, manufacturer, use, etc., of the equipment and considering OEM modules/schedules on operation and maintenance.

It is my firm belief that taking appropriate above steps will go a long way in preventing accidents involving wheeled trackless transportation machinery in opencast coal and metal mines.

This Circular is issued in suppression of earlier Circular issued vide No. 253, dated 30.06.202 .

(Uj ai'Tah)

Director General of Mines Safety & Chief Inspector of Mines