ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINERS IN THE EASTERN PART OF INDIA.

Coal in India is extracted generally by semi-mechanized and mechanized underground mining methods. The Bord and Pillar (B & P) mining method still continues to be popular where deployment of manual miners is more than that of other mining methods. The study is conducted at haulage based mine of Eastern Coalfields of West Bengal.

Maximum aerobic capacity of underground coal miners in India.

Miners fitness test was assessed in terms of determination of maximum aerobic capacity by an indirect method following a standard step test protocol before going down to mine by taking into consideration of heart rates (Telemetric recording) and oxygen consumption of the subjects (Oxylog-II) during exercise at different working rates. Maximal heart rate was derived as 220-age. Coal miners reported a maximum aerobic capacity within a range of 35-38.

A comparison of cardiac strain among drillers of two different age groups in underground manual coal mines in India.

Cardiac strain was evaluated in terms of working heart rate (WHR), relative cardiac cost (RCC), net cardiac cost (NCC) and other recovery indices among six younger (mean age 34.2 +/- 2.7 yr) and sixteen older (mean age 48.

A comparison of physiological strain of carriers in underground manual coal mines in India.

Thirty-nine healthy carriers (23-57 years of age) were investigated in underground manual coal mines in West Bengal, India during two different work spells of a single work shift. We compared physiological strain of workers <40 and > or =40 years of age. For both groups, mean heart rate was 124-133 beats/min, with a mean corresponding relative cardiac cost of 50-66%.

A comparative study of physiological strain of underground coal miners in India.

Ninety-eight healthy underground coal miners aged between 23-58 years were studied during their activity period. Physiological strain of different category of miners in terms of heart rate was monitored continuously with heart rate monitor that revealed the tasks as heavy to very heavy for them. Oxygen consumption was measured directly by using oxylog-2 machine that corresponded to metabolic costs for different activities ranging from 4.

Cardiovascular load assessment of coal mine shovelers in west Bengal, India: a comparison between middle age groups.

Cardiovascular load of underground shovelers was assessed in terms of heart rate changes at work in haulage coalmines. Twenty underground shovelers of two different age groups (those of age 31-39 and those of age 40-49) served as subjects. Working heart rate was significantly higher (p < 0.

A study of the workload of underground trammers in the Ranigang coal field area of West Bengal, India.

Thirty healthy trammers were examined in underground haulage mines during their normal activity. Physiological strain in terms of heart rate (HR) varied between 101.6 and 104.