Thursday, June 26, 2008
MINER Act review shows progress, but more to be done
The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006 has helped improve the safety and health of the nation's coal miners, but more needs to be done to fulfill key mandates set out in the law, according to testimony at a recent congressional review of the act.
Testifying June 19 before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee's Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, Richard E. Stickler, acting administrator for the Mine Safety and Health Administration, said MSHA has published six new final rules, issued one emergency temporary standard and proposed four additional rules.
Dennis O'Dell, administrator of occupational health and safety for the Fairfax, VA-based United Mine Workers of America, testified that attention to safety has improved, but urged the Senate to pass legislation to supplement the original MINER Act. The S-MINER Act already has passed in the House.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA, who chairs the subcommittee, questioned whether MSHA can meet a key MINER Act mandate requiring mine operators to install wireless communications systems in underground mines by June 2009. Stickler and Jeffery Kohler, associate director for mining and construction at NIOSH, said technological issues will make it difficult to achieve true wireless systems, but that the agencies are testing hybrid wireless and wired systems.