The Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) a public sector enterprise of DAE, was established for mining and processing of uranium ore in India. The Corporation now runs three underground mines at Jaduguda, Bhatin and Narwapahar, a uranium processing plant at Jaduguda, one recovery plant at Moosaboni to recover the uranium from copper tailings and a magnetite plant to recover the magnetic minerals associated with the uranium ores of Singhbhum. All these units are located in the Singhbhum East district, Jharkhand.

The Corporation assigns highest importance to the promotion of safety in all its operating units, educating workers in adopting safe working practices, implementing new technologies and adopting stringent monitoring and control measures.
 

UCIL, that mines and processes uranium ore in India, follows a comprehensive safety programme that promotes safety in all the operating units of the Corporation, educating workers in adopting safe working practices, implements new technologies and adopts stringent monitoring and control measures.  UCIL has bagged several safety awards of national and regional levels which are indicators of the upkeep of high standards of safety in all the areas of its activities. This writeup describes the safety programme of the Corporation.

Industrial safety : The day-to-day operation is planned and executed with utmost care to eliminate and reduce hazards associated with it. Statutory rules and regulations are strictly adhered to with continuous monitoring.
 

Rescue training at Uranium Corporation of India Limited

The underground mines of UCIL are well planned with adequate measures taken for roof control and other mining related hazards. Most of the operations in underground are mechanized eliminating the direct handling of ore. The personnel are provided with modern personal protective equipment. Respirators, ear-muffs, safety goggles are used by workers as protection against harmful exposures. Rubber aprons, gloves, helmets and gumboots are used by persons handling toxic materials and final product. Noise levels of different machinery are reduced by many engineering control measures.

Well-designed ventilation networks are in place providing adequate fresh air at all underground working places. Regular monitoring of noise level, air quality etc. are carried out with sophisticated equipment. The void created by extraction of ore is filled up with mill tailings and waste rock generated in the process.

Various engineering measures are adopted in the plant enhancing safety standards of the operations. The generation of dust is controlled at source using dust extractor. Local exhausts are provided at dust generation points. Exhaust stream is passed through a scrubber with water spray system. Air activity is controlled by providing fabric dampers to outlets of pipes discharging active solutions to reaction tanks and by covering the tank openings. Final product drums are covered with thick fabric chute while transferring dry material. Natural ventilation is supplemented by providing series of fans at strategic points.

Radiological safety: The uranium ore generally contains many radionuclides which assume significance in various operations. Various monitoring techniques and control measures are adopted in such areas by the Health Physics Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

Monitoring of external gamma radiation, airborne radioactivity, surface contamination, radiation dosimetry, silica dust and noise level etc. are carried out at all the working places with the use of different techniques. In the tailings pond area monitoring of Radon-222 and its progeny, gamma exposure level, characteristics of migrating radio-nucleids and chemical toxins of interest are done collecting water samples from monitoring wells. Analysis of vegetation grown inside the tailings pond is carried out on regular basis to evaluate the migration of radionuclides and chemical additives from tailings pile to vegetation. Near-by population are also provided with dosimeters for detection of radiation dose, if any.
 

Testing being done by the Health Physics Unit Laboratory of BARC, at Jaduguda

Environmental safety: A well-equipped Environmental Survey laboratory at Jaduguda regularly monitors the status of the environment around the operating units. Different environmental matrices are taken into account over an area of 20 km radius. Samples of effluents from mine, mill, tailings pond are regularly collected and analysed. The water from different streams and local river system, sediments from river beds are also analysed in different seasons. Samples of soil, grass, vegetables, food stuff and aquatic organisms such as algae, fish, ground water from wells and hand pumps are collected and analysed. Measurement of gamma radiation, environmental radon concentrates, natural background radiation are carried out using sophisticated instruments and techniques.

Health Safety: Utmost attention is paid by UCIL towards the health of the people living in and around the operating units. Hospitals with many modern facilities and equipment are maintained at Company’s hospitals. These facilities are also extended to local population. The medical team regularly visits the near-by villages providing medical assistance. Health study, demographic surveys are carried out in the area involving eminent scientists, professionals, doctors, professors etc. and these are submitted to regulatory bodies. These reports are also made available to public.
 

Radiation reading being taken at plant site

The Corporation has a well-documented safety policy, which is strictly followed. Regular on-site training, various safety related programmes, safety awareness week etc. are conducted making safe working habits as an in-built aspect in the operations.

Safety committees are formed at different organisational levels, which periodically meet and recommend measures for implementation. Adequate fund is made available for constantly improving the safety measures.

The Corporation has won several awards at regional and national levels for achieving the highest safety standards in all its working areas.