OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN INDIAN COAL MINING - TRENDS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Coal mining remains a high-risk occupation in India despite sustained regulatory and technological interventions. This study analyses the long-term trends in fatal and serious accidents in Indian coal mines from 1997 to 2022 suing secondary data from the official sources of the Government of India. Descriptive statistics combined with the Mann- Kendall trend test and Sen’s slope estimator for the assessment of the trend direction and magnitude. The results indicate a statistically significant and consistent decline in both fatal and serious accidents, with a more pronounced reduction in the rate of serious accidents. However, the continued occurrence of accidents highlights persistent occupational safety risks. The findings emphasize the need for continued regulatory enforcement, systematic monitoring and preventive safety strategies for strengthening mining safety performance.