measures to protect against mining disasters

Upload: ivan-lin

Post on 26-Feb-2018

215 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

  • 7/25/2019 Measures to Protect Against Mining Disasters

    1/4

    Mining Disasters - An Exhibition

    Historically, large-scale mine disasters have stirred the fires of reform and

    provided the impetus for legislation to provide the miner with a safer working

    place.

    Thus, it happened in 1907 when the Fairmont Coal Company's mine at

    Monongah, West Virginia exploded killing 362 men and boys. Congress

    reacted to the disaster at Monongah by passing and toughening mining laws.

    In 1910, following a decade in which the number of coal mine fatalities

    exceeded 2,000 annually, Congress established the Bureau of Mines as a new

    agency in the Department of the Interior. The Bureau was charged with theresponsibility to conduct research and to reduce accidents in the coal mining

    industry.

    Again, in 1968, and less than five miles from Monongah, an explosion and a

    resulting fire killed 78 men at the Consol No 9 mines at Farmington, West

    Virginia.

    Out of the uproar caused by the Farmington explosion came the Federal Coal

    Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, a far reaching document that promised a

    new day for the men in an industry that had claimed more than 100,000 lives

    since 1900. Even before the Farmington mine blew up in 1968, the push was

    on for a better mine safety law. The Johnson Administration introduced a

    measure in the fall of 1968 that would dramatically strengthen the

    government's enforcement tools. However, it went to Congress too late to

    achieve action. Then came the explosion at Farmington and there were new

    converts to the cause of mine safety. The Nixon Administration expanded

    upon the Johnson Administration proposals of 1968 and addressed the

    potential for mine explosions in proposed legislation. President Nixon signed

    the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 on December 30, 1969.

  • 7/25/2019 Measures to Protect Against Mining Disasters

    2/4

    Enforcement powers in coal mines increased vastly. The Act required four

    annual inspections for each underground coal mine, and two for each surface

    mine. The Act for the first time established mandatory fines for all violations

    and criminal penalties for knowing and willful violations. The act eliminated

    so-called "non-gassy" mines from special legal exemptions. All mines were

    considered gassy and additional inspections were required. The powers of the

    inspectors were broadened. The inspectors were given the power to close a

    mine for imminent danger. Miners were given the right to request a Federal

    inspection. Safety standards for all coal mines were strengthened under the

    1969 Act, and health standards adopted. The Act also provided benefits to

    miners disabled by black lung disease.

    The legacy of the Sunshine Mine disaster is reflected in greatly enhanced

    miner training programs and fire protection measures in metal and nonmetal

    mines across the country. In 1973 the Mine Enforcement and Safety

    Administration (MESA) was created out of the Bureau of Mines as the first

    Federal agency with the sole purpose of assuring miners of a safe, healthful

    working environment. Standards requiring mine emergency and self-rescuer

    training, regular evacuation drills, and two mine rescue teams at

    underground metal and nonmetal operations were promulgated by April of

    1973.

    On March 9, 1977, the Agency was transferred from the Department of the

    Interior to the Department of Labor and was renamed the Mine Safety and

    Health Administration (MSHA). The legislation, which was signed by President

    Jimmy Carter, repealed the Federal Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety Act and

    amended the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 to combine

    protection of coal and metal and nonmetal miners under a single law, the

    Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the Act). Following passage of the

  • 7/25/2019 Measures to Protect Against Mining Disasters

    3/4

    Act, additional required miner training, increased MSHA enforcement

    activities, and upgraded fire prevention standards continued to address the

    lessons learned from fires at the Cargill Salt Mine, Belle Isle, Louisiana and

    the Sunshine Mine at Kellogg, Idaho.

    The new Act of 1977 required at least four complete inspections of all coal and

    noncoal underground mines and two of all surface mines each year. The old

    Metal and Nonmetal law called for only one inspection of underground mines

    annually and no annual inspections of surface operations."

    Among other important changes, the new law provided for procedures to

    streamline and speed up the regulation-making process and stronger

    mechanisms for enforcing compliance with Federal health and safety

    standards. This included increased capability of dealing with the most

    dangerous mine hazards; increased emphasis on protection of miners' health;

    greater involvement of miners or their representatives in processes affecting

    workers' health and safety; and improved procedures for assessing and

    collecting civil penalties imposed for violating mine health or safety

    requirements.

    Mine accidents have declined dramatically both in number and severity as a

    result of decades of research, technology, education, and preventive programs.

    Today, mine accidents resulting in five or more deaths are no longer common.

    However, preventing recurrence of disasters like those of the past remains a

    top priority requiring constant vigilance by management, labor, and

    government.

    http://www.msha.gov/disaster/disaster.htm

    ===============================================================

    http://www.msha.gov/disaster/disaster.htmhttp://www.msha.gov/disaster/disaster.htm
  • 7/25/2019 Measures to Protect Against Mining Disasters

    4/4

    MINE IMPROVEMENT AND NEW EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACT OF 2006 OR

    THE MINER ACT ( US FEDERAL LAW)

    II. BACKGROUND

    The record of mine safety in the United States is one of continuing and

    oftentimes significant improvement. These improvements are undoubtedly a

    function of the increased focus and emphasis on safety by both mine operators

    and their employees, as well as the efforts of State and Federal regulators and

    members of the regulated community. But despite this progress, mining

    remains a dangerous endeavor. The year 2006 began with the tragic loss of 12

    miners at the Sago Mine in West Virginia, followed closely by the deaths of two

    miners at the Alma Mine, also in West Virginia; and some 4 months later by the

    deaths of 5 miners at the Darby Mine in Harlan County, Kentucky. The death

    toll in the first 5 months of the year was nearly 50 percent higher than the

    entire previous year. Additionally, the rise in coal production in the last few

    years raises the committees concerns that there is the potential for a return to

    higher numbers of accidents and fatalities. Improvements in safety come about

    because of a continued re-examination and revision of safety and regulatory

    practices in light of experience. These tragedies serve as a somber reminder

    that even that which has been done well can always be done better.

    http://www.msha.gov/solicitor/MinerActLegHist.pdf

    ================================================================

    http://www.msha.gov/solicitor/MinerActLegHist.pdfhttp://www.msha.gov/solicitor/MinerActLegHist.pdf