RISK ASSESSMENT

For

STONE QUARRY

At

Gat No. 407 & 408/3 (Part),

Village Raytale, Taluka Parner,
Dist. Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

of

Shri . Sukhdev Baban Pawar , Rahul Prakashrao

Shinde, Dattatray Jairam Rokade
( Mauli Stone Crusher )
Risk assessment is a systematic method of identifying and analyzing the hazards associated
with an activity and establishing a level of risk for each hazard. The hazards cannot be
completely eliminated, and thus there is a need to define and estimate an accident risk level
possible to be presented either in quantitative or qualitative way.

Need of Risk Assessment

Risk assessments will help the mine operators to identify high, medium and low risk levels.
Risk assessments will help to prioritize risks and provide information on the probability of
harm arising and severity of harm by understanding the hazard, combine assessments of
probability and severity to produce an assessment of risk and it is used in the assessment of
risk as an aid to decision making. In this way, mine owners and operators will be able to
implement safety improvements. Different types of approaches for the safety in mines
various tools and appropriate steps have to be taken to make mining workplace better and
safer.

Different Terminologies Associated With Risk Assessment

Following are some of the important terminologies involved in hazard identification and
risk analysis:
Harm: Physical injury or damage to the health of people either directly or indirectly as a
result of damage to property or to the environment.

Hazard: Hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property or
environment. Most hazards are dormant with only a theoretical risk of harm however once
a hazard becomes active it can create emergency situation.
Accident: An accident is a specific, unidentifiable, unexpected, unusual and unintended
eternal action which occurs in a particular time and place with no apparent and deliberate
cause but with marked effect.
Risk: Risk concerns the deviation of one or more results of one or more future events from
their expected value.

Model for Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment involve following five steps –
Step 1: Identify the hazards
Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how

Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions

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Step 4: Record the findings and implement precautionary measures proposed
Step 5: Review assessment and update if necessary

Figure 1: Steps in Risk Assessment

The model is best understood by working through the steps listed below:

1. Identify the hazard - How an accident might happen? Consider what or how things
could go wrong when the activity is carried out.
2. Identify who is at risk - Who is involved in the activity? Who else could be at risk?
3. Remove the hazard - Can the activity be carried out in another way so as to eliminate
the hazard?
4. Evaluate the risk - How likely is an accident to happen? How serious would the injury
be if there is an accident while carrying out the activity?
5. Decide on control measures - look at what measures have been taken already to
ensure that persons do not have an accident. For example, suitable and sufficient
guards have been fitted or not?
6. Record the assessment - The risk assessment should be recorded.
7. Review - The assessment will need to be reviewed every time if there are changes in
the workplace, for example new members of staff, new equipment, new systems of
work and new location.

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 Figure 2: Model for Risk Assessment

Objectives

The objectives of Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) are to,
• Identify any operation/thing that may cause injury, damage, or ill-health.
• Prioritize the risks in terms of the urgency of required attention
• Discover preventive or mitigating actions that can be taken in each case.
• Create awareness in all concerned in every factor and activity that may cause
injury, damage or ill health
• Enhance decision-making by bringing all concerned and affected parties into the
HIRA process
• Encourage employees to take ownership of their safety in terms of recognizing and
reporting hazards and participating in the discovery and implementation of
solutions that will prevent incidents or mitigate the consequences.
• Build a team approach to Safety Health and Environment Management

Hazard identification at Stone Quarry site

Hazard identification and risk assessment is a continual process. It is performed to identify

whatever could cause injury, damage, ill-health, financial loss and loss of reputation to the
organization. Hazard identification is an analysis to determine whether a risk agent under

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plausible conditions would cause harm to the population or the environment. Hazard
identification is an analysis which is in many ways involves a detailed study of various
operations and processes, epidemiology, and ergonomics.
At mining, the following operations could be the main hazards:
a) Fall of sides
b) Drilling operation
c) Blasting operation
d) Handling of Explosives
e) Health Hazard
f) Accident at site
g) Transportation
h) Natural hazards

a) Fall of Sides

• Fall of sides in a quarry can be a constant source of risk if the workings are not
properly designed and if statutory provisions are not implemented in letter and
spirit.
• Overall slope angles of benches will be maintained at 45°
• Unmanageable heights are not created.

• Loose sides are properly dressed.

• The nature and structure of the rocks will be properly studied for their slips/fault
lines

• No tree, loose stone or debris will be permitted to remain within 3 meters of the
edge or side of any excavation (Regulation 106(4) of MMR 1961)

• No undercutting of any face or sides will be permitted to cause any overhanging

(Regulation 106(5) of MMR 1961)

b) Drilling Operation

Drilling of holes for blasting is essential for the excavation of hard rock. The main hazards
associated with drilling are:-

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 • Dust generation during drilling operations

• Noise generation

• Entrapment of being stuck by a moving part of the drilling equipment

Dust generation during the drilling operation

The hazard is the inhalation of dust which is created during the drilling operation. Properly
applied control measures can substantially reduce the risk to the drill operator
• Wet drilling is carried out by constantly injecting a jet of water at the drill bit inside
the hole, which prevents dust generation.
• In case for any reason, wet drilling is not possible (due to non-availability of water),
an exhaust/ vacuum system is provided which removes the dust from the drill hole
continuously and discharges the same in a dust collector specially provided for the
purpose.

• The drilling machine shall be fitted with dust suppression, collection and disposal
arrangement.

• Deep wetting of drilling zones shall be done by water sprinkling before starting
drilling. During drilling operations, efforts shall be made to reduce dust generation
by taking appropriate measures.

The driller may fall over the edge of a working or abandoned bench, there is a risk of
boulders or materials falling onto workers at the foot of the face if proper precautions are
not taken. Ensure that the equipment is suitable for the job and that the person in charge of
the drilling machine is competent to carry out the drilling operation. One of the measures
that can be taken to reduce the risk of the edge of the bench is to provide suitable portable
rail fencing that can be erected between the drilling operations and the edge of the bench.
Attach a safety line to the drilling rig and provide a harness for the driller to wear.

Noise Generation
Drilling operations give rise to harmful levels of noise. It is created by both drilling the hole
and the operation of the drill rig itself.

• It is impractical to remove the hazard at the hole completely, but new-generation drill
rigs are quieter by its design
• The noise levels around drilling equipment should be measured and the risk assessed.

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 • No-one, except the driller and his assistant, should be allowed inside the designated
drilling area

• The risk is highest with older machines. Newer large drilling machines are provided
with sound-insulated operating cabins which control the noise level within the cabins
to acceptable levels.

• Other control measures include training operators and providing them with ear
protection, although the latter should only be seen as an interim precaution until a
permanent solution can be found.

Entrapment of being stuck by a moving and revolving part of the drilling

equipment.
There may be several hazards, principally those of moving the drilling rig around the site
from one hole to another or from one working face to another

 The risk of an accident occurring will be low if the dangerous parts of the equipment
are properly guarded, operators are well trained and supervised and only those
essential to the work are involved in the activities.

• However, the risk of an accident will be high if the dangerous parts are exposed
and the operators are poorly trained and supervised.

c) Blasting Operation

Most of the accidents from blasting occur due to the projectiles and mainly due to
overcharging of the shot holes as a result of certain special features of the local ground.
Flying rocks are encountered during initial and final blasting operations. Noise and dust
also generated during blasting. The following control measures should be taken:

• Blast hole geometry shall be properly designed.

• The blast site shall be wetted before and after blasting operations are completed
• Only the optimum quantity of permissible explosives shall be used so that the
vibrations do not damage the structures/houses if the quarrying operations are
close to human habitation.
• Blasting shall be conducted only during favorable weather conditions and only
during the daytime and permissible hours.

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 • While carrying out blasting operations near habitations, wide publicity will be given
in the local area through announcement and other available media so that local
people become aware of the blasting activities being undertaken in the area and take
appropriate precautions
• The vibrations should be monitored periodically in consultation with the local
Mining authorities.

d) Handling of Explosives

Explosives by virtue of their nature have the potential for the most serious and catastrophic
accidents in the mining industry yet the way they are used are an excellent example of how
risk assessment is properly applied. For example only authorized and trained blaster
(holding blasters certificate granted by DGMS) and his assistant will be allowed to handle
explosives and carry out blasting operations.

• Use of explosives is specialized work. Planning for a round of shots is necessary to

ensure that the face is properly surveyed, holes correctly drilled, direction logged,
the weight of explosive suitable for good fragmentation and the continuity of the
initiator are but a few of the steps necessary to ensure its safe use.

• Poorly designed shots can result in misfires, early ignition and flying rock.

• The storage of the explosives and its transfer to and from the quarry area shall be
strictly in accordance with the conditions listed in the permission granted by
Explosives Department. Few conditions are listed below:

• Proper and safe storage of explosives in approved and Licensed Magazine

• Proper security system to prevent theft/ pilferage, unauthorized entry into Magazine
area and checking authorized persons to prevent carrying of match box, lights,
mobile phones, cigarette or Bidi etc. will be put in place.

• Explosives shall be conveyed in special containers

• Explosives and detonators shall not be carried in the same container

• The holes which have been charged with explosives will not be left unattended till
blasting is completed.

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e) Health hazards

For the purpose of this document, health hazards should be interpreted as being harmful
dust and noise which is emitted during surface mining operations. All suitable steps and
precautions will be undertaken to ensure minimum health hazard.

Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The PPE shall be of good make and quality, wherever possible ISI certified, suitable for the
hazard e.g. a dust respirator fitted with the correct filter to capture the particular hazardous
dust and maintained to recommended standards. As personal protective equipment only
affords limited protection it should only be used as a last resort and as an interim
arrangement until other steps are taken to reduce the risk of personal injury to an
acceptable level.
f) Accident at Site

Identifying the hazards that come along with the presence of vehicles at the workplace (e.g.
reversing operations, loading) can cause harm if not properly handled. Among some of the
factors that may make vehicle accidents more likely are:
• Rough access roads
• Time pressure

• Inadequate brakes (Possibly from lack of maintenance)

• Carelessly parked vehicles (e.g. being parked on a slope without being
adequately secured)
• Untrained drivers
• Overturning vehicles
To avoid such instances we will talk to the workers shall be trained and involve them in the
risk assessment process and tell them what to do, to reduce risk.

g) Transportation
The usual method of transporting minerals from the working face is by trucks /
tippers/dumpers. Large earth moving equipments are used for loading /transporting large
quantity of mineral from a mine. During transportation of minerals in the mining area,
utmost care will be taken by the vehicle operator to avoid any accident with any incoming
vehicle by keeping sufficient gap between the two vehicles, keep safe distance from the

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edge of the mine face, avoid any accident to a worker crossing the haul road and shall
maintain low speed. The vehicle operator shall not try to overtake another vehicle.
• All transportation within the mine lease area should be carried out directly
under the supervision and control of management.
• The vehicles will be maintained in good working condition and checked
thoroughly at least once a month by the competent person authorized for the
purpose by the management.
• Road signs will be provided at each and every turning point up to the main road
(wherever required)
• To avoid danger while reversing the vehicles especially at working place/loading
points, stopper should be posted to properly guide reversing/spotting operating.
• Only trained drivers will be hired.
To prevent accidents during transportation in mine area, the mines roads
• Shall be made smooth by occasionally rolling with a road roller

• Shall be frequently cleaned of any stone /rock fallen from a plying dumper

• Shall be designed with suitable gradient well within the specifications

prescribed under MMR 1961
• Shall be designed sufficiently wide for two way traffic or separate routes for
incoming and outgoing traffic shall be provided.
• Shall be kept suitably wetted to prevent dissipation of dust

• Shall have designated points for crossing by workers.

• Shall have suitable sign boards for information of the vehicle operator.

Heavy Earth moving Machinery (HEMM)

• The operator/ transporter shall carry out regular maintenance of the machinery
and vehicles as per manufacturer’s guidelines.

• Operator’s cabin of the HEMMs should preferably be air conditioned or at least air
tight.

• The smoke emission should conform to the standards notified in Motor Vehicle Act.

• The trucks carrying the mined products shall be covered with tarpaulin so that
there are no fugitive emissions during transportation.

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 • The transportation should not be through the busy roads in the city/towns/villages
if by pass roads are available

Overburden Dumps Stabilization

• Overburden dumps shall be suitably located and designed keeping in view the
quantity of overburden to be stored as also the length of time for which the dump
is to be there.
• A suitable retaining wall shall be provided around the dumps to prevent sediments
from the dumps flowing downwards towards water body if any, or agriculture fields.

• Check dams (one or more, as per requirement) shall be constructed for further
arrest of sediments from the dumps.

• Non-operative dumps shall be subjected to technical and biological reclamation.

• Plantation over and around over burden dumps shall be carried out to ensure
stability of slopes, prevention of dust by wind action and soil erosion during the run
off.

Risk in case of leaving deep mined out pit after completion of mining operations

Where sufficient overburden is not available to back fill a mined out pit or it is not
practically possible to back fill a mined out pit, the deep mined out pit may have to be left
as it is. Such a deep open pit can be a cause of accident. On the other hand, such a pit may
be converted into rain water harvesting pit, which may get filled up with rain water year
after year. It will be necessary to safe guard such a pit by providing suitable fencing all
around and further develop the same into a picnic stop by providing proper approach road
to the site, a clean area with grass plantation for sitting and playing of children, suitable
tree plantation for shade for the visitors. The pit could also be utilized gainfully in many
other ways e.g. for fish culture etc.

METHODOLOGIES FOR RISK ANALYSIS

The objective of risk analysis is to produce outputs that can be used to evaluate the nature
and distribution of risk and to develop appropriate strategies to manage risk. Events or
issues with more significant consequences and likelihood are identified as “higher risk‟ and
are selected for higher priority mitigation actions to lower the likelihood of the event
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happening and reduce the consequences if the event were to occur. There are two methods
of Risk Analysis. They are:

Qualitative method use descriptive terms to identify and record consequences and
likelihoods of the events and resultant risk.
Quantitative method identifies likelihoods as frequencies or probabilities. They identify
consequences in terms of relative scale (orders of magnitude) or in terms of specific values
(for example estimate of cost, number of fatalities or number of individuals lost from a rare
species).
The hazard identification and risk analysis is done using qualitative method.
The details are given below.
Table 1: Probability/Likelihood of Occurrence of Hazard
Risk Probability Description
Level
1 Very Unlikely Has not occurred within last 5 years
2 Remote/ May occur if conditions exist. Has occurred within
Moderate last 3 years
3 Occasional Likely to occur if conditions exist. Has occurred
within last 2 years
4 Probable Very likely to occur. Has occurred within last year
5 Frequent Almost certain to occur. Has occurred more than one
within last year

Table 2: Severity/Impact Intensity

Risk Severity Description
Level
C1 Catastrophic May commonly cause death or major system loss,
thereby requiring immediate cessation of the
unsafe activity or operation
C2 Major May commonly cause severe injury or illness or
major system damage thereby requiring
immediate corrective action
C3 Moderate Minor injury to personnel or environment
C4 Minor Minor damage but does not cause injury to
personnel
C5 Insignificant May result in no, or less than minor, illness, injury
or system damage

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 Table 3: Risk Assessment Chart (Qualitative Method)
Risk Rank
L1 L2 L3 L4 L5
Likelihood x Frequent Probable Occasional
Consequence Remote Very Unlikely
C1 1 2 4 7 11
Catastrophic
C2 3 5 8 12 16
Major
C3 6 9 13 17 20
Moderate
C4 Minor 10 14 18 21 23

C5 15 19 22 24 25
Insignificant

Table 4: Risk Rating Scale

High Risk 1-6

Medium Risk 7 - 15

Low Risk 16 - 25

Calculation of Risk Assessment

Risk = Probability x Severity

If there is a probability number of any particular cause/incident is 1 and its severity is
minor then Risk involved in the hazard is 1 x 1=1
Whereas,
If there is a probability number of any particular cause/incident is 5 and its severity is
Catastrophic then Risk involved in the hazard is 5 x 4=20. Thus, the Risk of those hazards
scoring 20 are defined and considered as ‘Non-acceptable Risk’.

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Levels of Risk

Figure 3: Levels of Risk

Table 5: Hazard identification & Risk Analysis in Stone Mining operation

Sr. Activity Hazard Probability Severity Score

No.

1 Temporary Unintended Explosions Remote Catastrophic 7

storage of
Explosives
2 Charging of Unintended explosion Remote Catastrophic 7
Explosives or exposure
3 Blasting Hit by fly rock (bodily Occasional Major 8
injuries)
4 Bench Rock falls or slide due Occasional Major 8
Formation to lack of bench face
stability (bodily
injuries)
5 Transportation Vehicle Accident Probable Major 5
(bodily injuries)

The risk score lies between 5 to 8. Hence, the risk in stone quarry ranges from High to
Medium and are “Acceptable”.

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