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MSHA News Release: [07/29/2003]
Contact Name: Rodney
Brown
Phone Number: (202) 693-9425
MSHA Addresses Recent Trend in Mining Fatalities
Agency Launches Massive Safety Sweep Aimed at All
1,500 U.S. Coal Mines
ARLINGTON, Va.—The U. S.
Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) yesterday
declared “National Coal Mine Safety Awareness Day” to raise the
awareness level among coal miners and mine operators concerning hazards and the
recent trend in mining fatalities nationwide. As part of the effort, MSHA
officials began blanketing the nation’s coal mines to speak directly to
miners and operators about ways to create a more safe work environment.
“On the first-ever National Coal Mine Safety Awareness Day, we
began to carry the important message of enhanced miner safety directly to
working miners across the nation,” said Dave D. Lauriski, assistant
secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “The past two years have
been the safest in history in terms of mining fatalities however the trend of
recent fatalities in coal mining are of great concern to us. Our goal is to
send every miner home safe and healthy after each shift.”
In a recent 24-day period, seven coal miners were killed in accidents,
bringing the total number of fatalities nationwide this year in coal mining to
21 as of July 25, compared with 16 at the same time last year. Four of those
seven fatalities occurred in Kentucky. Also of concern to agency officials is
the fact that three of the fatalities involved supervisors and three others
involved employees doing maintenance work.
MSHA has dispatched over 600 enforcement personnel to the more than
1,500 active coal mines in the nation over the next two weeks to speak directly
with miners, mine operators and contractors urging them to use safe work
procedures and focus on potential hazards. Agency officials will tailor safety
information based on the nature of work and conditions at each mining site.
In addition to the coal mine sweep, top MSHA officials will conduct a
conference call with interested mine operators and other mining industry
personnel concerning miner safety issues at their operations. The agency has
also placed specific safety information on its website at www.msha.gov that
provides advice and guidance for avoiding mining hazards.
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