MSHA Proposes New Standards for Underground Coal Mine Rescue Teams

Proposed Rule Continues Miner Act Implementation

    ARLINGTON, Va. Sept. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department
 of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today published in
 the Federal Register a proposed rule enhancing the availability and
 effectiveness of mine rescue teams for underground coal mines. MSHA also
 announced four public hearings to be held on this proposed rule, as well as
 another proposed rule MSHA published today regarding mine rescue team
 equipment. MSHA's proposed rules on mine rescue teams:
     -- Require coal mine operators to make available two certified mine
        rescue teams.
     -- Include criteria for certifying the qualifications of mine rescue
        teams.
     -- Require mine rescue team members to be available at the mine within
        one hour from the mine rescue station.
     -- Increase training for coal mine rescue team members from 40 to 64
        hours annually.
     -- Require coal mine rescue team members to have practical experience as
        an underground coal miner or member of a mine rescue team.
     -- Require mine rescue team members to participate in training at each
        mine serviced by the team and have knowledge of the operations and
        ventilation at the mine.
     -- Require mine rescue team members to participate annually in two local
        mine rescue contests.
     -- Include criteria for local mine rescue contests to improve rescue
        skills. 
     MSHA also published a proposed rule on mine rescue team equipment that
 applies to underground coal and metal and nonmetal mines, requiring two
 additional hours of breathable air from their self-contained breathing
 apparatuses and gas detectors to measure potentially dangerous gasses they
 could encounter during rescue operations.
     Public hearings on both proposed rules will be held beginning at 9 a.m.
 local time on October 23 in Salt Lake City; October 25 in Lexington, Ky.;
 October 30 in Charleston, W.Va.; and November 1 in Birmingham, Ala.
     U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at
 http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made
 available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc)
 from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when
 placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The Labor
 Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with
 easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws
 and regulations. For more information, please visit
 http://www.dol.gov/compliance.
 
 
 
 
 

SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor