Management, mine safety officials, trade unions and contractors discuss risk prevention, worker training and stronger safety compliance
Bilaspur : South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) held its 50th Tripartite Safety Committee meeting at its headquarters in Bilaspur on Thursday, bringing together company management, officials from the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), employee representatives and contractors to discuss measures for safer mining operations.
SECL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Harish Duhan joined the meeting through video conferencing. The meeting was chaired by Neeraj Kumar, Deputy Director General of Mines Safety, Northern Zone, Ghaziabad.
The discussions focused on compliance with mine safety standards, identification and control of workplace risks, accident prevention, employee training, the use of modern safety technologies and measures to strengthen the company’s safety management systems.
SECL CMD Reaffirms Safety as the Highest Priority
Addressing the meeting, Harish Duhan said safety remained SECL’s highest priority. He emphasised the need for effective implementation of safety standards, adoption of modern technologies and vigilance at every level of mining operations.
He said collective efforts were essential to strengthen a safety-oriented work culture across the organisation.
The meeting reviewed ongoing safety initiatives and considered measures to improve their implementation across SECL’s operational areas.
Senior Management and DGMS Officials Participate
SECL was represented by Director (Human Resources) Biranchi Das, Director (Finance) D. Sunil Kumar, Director (Technical—Operations) Ramesh Chandra Mahapatra and Director (Technical—Planning and Projects) Nripendra Nath.
Heads of various departments at the headquarters, regional general managers, regional safety officers and representatives of contractor companies also attended the meeting.
Officials from DGMS included B. B. Satiyar, Deputy Director General of Mines Safety, Western Zone, Nagpur; Irfan Ahmed Ansari, Director of Mines Safety, Bilaspur Region-I; Altaf Hussain Ansari, Director of Mines Safety, Bilaspur Region-II; A. Ramababu, Director of Mines Safety, Raigarh Region; and Kishore Kumar Dokuparti, Director of Mines Safety, Jabalpur Region. Other officials from the Western and Northern zones also participated.
Representatives from the electrical and mechanical safety wings included Anand Agrawal, Director of Electricity, Western Zone, Nagpur; B. Behera, Director of Electricity, Northern Zone, Ghaziabad; K. Vijay Kumar, Director of Mechanical, Northern Zone, Ghaziabad; Balakrishna Padarthi, Director of Mechanical, Western Zone, Nagpur; Arka Somayajulu Dhulipala, Director of Electricity, Western Zone, Nagpur; and Dr Kaushik Sarkar, Director of Occupational Safety and Health, Western Zone, Nagpur.
Trade Unions Raise Safety Concerns
The Company Safety Committee was represented by Anand Mishra of HMS, Sanjay Singh of BMS, B. Dharma Rao of AITUC, Kamlesh Sharma of SEKM S, Indradev Chauhan of CITU and Anup V. Rahate of CMOAI.
The representatives shared suggestions on various safety-related matters, bringing employee and trade union perspectives into the discussions.
The participation of management, safety regulators and worker representatives provided a platform to examine operational challenges and discuss ways to improve safety practices across mining operations.
Focus on Risk Management, Training and Technology
A PowerPoint presentation outlined the safety measures and initiatives being implemented at SECL. The presentation covered compliance with safety standards, risk identification and mitigation, accident prevention, employee training, modern safety technologies, digitisation and improvements in safety management systems.
Regional general managers and regional safety officers presented updates on safety conditions and measures undertaken in their respective areas.
Special emphasis was placed on the safety of contract workers, their training and compliance with prescribed safety procedures. Representatives of contractor companies also participated in discussions on safety arrangements and workplace practices.
Building a Stronger Safety Culture Across Mines
Participants stressed that workplace safety cannot be ensured through regulatory compliance alone. A strong safety culture requires the active involvement of employees, mine workers, contract personnel and everyone associated with mining operations.
The discussions highlighted the importance of identifying potential hazards in time, strengthening training programmes and using modern technologies effectively to reduce risks.
The meeting concluded with participants expressing their commitment to strengthening collective efforts towards safer mining operations and the goal of zero accidents.
The 50th Tripartite Safety Committee meeting served as a platform for SECL management, DGMS officials, trade unions, regional representatives and contractors to exchange views on safety challenges and reinforce the importance of consistent safety practices across the company’s mining operations.
