ISTANBUL — The cabinetmeets today to discuss the mine accident last week that left 301 coal mine workers dead in Soma. The meeting investigates and analyzes occupational health and safety measures in mines throughout Turkey as the ministers discuss working conditions in the mines based on the reports prepared to present occupational safety as well as the number and severity of accidents that occur in the mines. The regulations concerning coal mines with the most dangerous hazards will be revisited and a new law is expected to be prepared, specifically designed for coal mines.
Sources from the Ministry of Energy have noted that the new law will separate coal mines from all other types of mines including gold, copper, marble and others which have strictly different conditions than coal mines. Moreover, sources have expressed the new law will encompass occupational safety standards specifically designed for coal mines.
Another point that will be emphasized in the meeting was rescue chambers which were problematically absent in the case of Soma. The new regulations will make it compulsory for all coal mines to install rescue chambers which are airtight emergency shelters in coal mines able to provide four days of clean air, food, water and toilet facilities for up to 15 people and may also contain communication equipment to save miners during times of crisis.
Accordingly, the new law is expected to bring harsher and stricter penalties for company officials and owners in case of accidents.
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