N. M. Shahani - School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
M. J. Sajid - Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
I. M. Jiskani - School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
B. Ullah - School of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
A. R. Qureshi - Department of Mining Engineering, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta, Pakistan

In this work, we employ the fuzzy logic technique to achieve and present, for the first time, a proper analysis of the actual intensity of the increase in the coal miners’ fatality rates in Pakistan from ۲۰۱۰ to ۲۰۱۸, compared with China and India, with an objective to minimize the impact of incidents on the miners’ fatalities. The average and yearwise fatality rates in Pakistan, compared with China and India, are used for the fuzzy logic technique in order to calculate the actual degree of flexibility for the surging fatalities. The findings show that both the average (۲۰۱۰-۲۰۱۸) and yearwise fatality rates in ۲۰۱۱, ۲۰۱۵, and ۲۰۱۸ are ۲.۴۴, ۱.۷۴, and ۱.۶, respectively. In the fuzzy logic technique, the variables whose membership function (µ) values are ≥ ۱ represent the absolute truth. The membership function values for the years ۲۰۱۱, ۲۰۱۵, and ۲۰۱۸ are alarmingly high for the fatalities of coal miners. Similarly, except for ۲۰۱۴ and ۲۰۱۰, where ۰ represents the absolute falseness, the results for the remaining years indicate high fatality rates with a flexibility (or small extent) of its corresponding membership function (µ) values such as ۰.۶۲۳, ۰.۷۳۹, ۰.۲۱۹, ۰.۱۷۳ and ۰.۱۱۵, and ۰.۷۱۴, ۰.۲۴, ۰.۰۱, ۰.۳۲۴ and ۰.۳۱۷ using the average and yearwise analysis, respectively, compared with China. Likewise, the fuzzy logic membership function (µ) values compared with India in the remaining years are ۰.۷۰۴, ۰.۷۹۵, ۰.۳۸۶, ۰.۱۵۹, ۰.۳۵۲ and ۰.۳۰۶, and ۰.۶۷۵, ۰.۷۹۵, ۰.۳۸۶, ۰.۱۸۶, ۰.۳۲۱ and ۰.۳۲۲, respectively. The proposed fuzzy logic analysis has been founded based on the theory of fuzzy sets to properly identify the miners’ fatalities, and also to suggest the implementation of appropriate recommendations to reduce the fatalities in the coal mines in Pakistan.

coal mine safety, comparative analysis, fatality rate, fuzzy logic, safety management