1. What is OMSHR?
2. There is a health or safety problem at my mine. Who do I talk with in your organization that can help me or at least provide some information on this issue?
3. Where can I find educational material on mining?
4. Does NIOSH have to test and approve the use of roof bolts, trusses, or standing support systems before a mine can use them?
5. Where can I find information on funding for opportunities for research projects?
6. Where can I obtain information about career opportunities at NIOSH, including fellowships?
7. How do I obtain copies of the older U.S. Bureau of Mines publications?
8. Where do I go for information on mineral commodities?
9. How do I obtain a copy of the Ringelmann Smoke Chart?
10. Where do I go for regulatory or enforcement information?
11. Whom do I see if I have questions about mining in my neighborhood?
12. Where do I go for historical information?
13. Where can I find information on mining statistics (tonnage, mining methods, accident frequency, etc.)?

OMSHR stands for Office of Mining Safety and Health Research. OMSHR is the area under NIOSH that houses both the Pittsburgh and Spokane Research Laboratories. Jeffrey L. Kohler, PhD, CMSP is the Associate Director for Mining.

Contact the Communications Coordinator at either the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory or the Spokane Research Laboratory.

You can find educational and training materials suitable for mining on our NIOSH Mining Products page. Many organizations offer educational material for teachers and students. Other sources of educational information include the American Coal Foundation (http://www.teachcoal.org/), National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association (http://www.nssga.org/), National Mining Association (http://www.nma.org/about_us/pub_publications.asp), Northwest Mining Association (http://www.nwma.org/education.asp), Mine Safety and Health Administration Kid's Page (http://www.msha.gov/kids/kidshp.htm) and the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology Kid's Page (http://mining.state.co.us/kids/dmgkids.htm).

No, roof support systems can only be submitted to and approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) District Manager where the mine is located. These submissions are made in the mine's Roof Control Plan, described in more detail in the Federal Code of Regulations, CRF 200.75. MSHA Technical Support does not approve these products but may assist the District Manager in ensuring they meet or exceed ASTM or CRF minimum requirements when applicable. NIOSH personnel often participate in the testing of these types of products, at the request of MSHA or a Manufacturer, but the final approval is always at the District Manager's discretion.

The overall goal of NIOSH is the prevention of illnesses, injuries, and deaths caused by hazards on the job. Recognizing the valuable contributions of extramural scientists and educators to this endeavor, NIOSH sponsors research and training through its extramural programs, which complement the Institute's intramural programs. The creativity and special resources available in the extramural community make these programs an important component in achieving a National goal to have safe jobs and healthy workers. Go to the NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs web page for more information about funding opportunities.

NIOSH positions are primarily located in Cincinnati, OH, Morgantown, WV, Pittsburgh, PA, and Spokane, WA. There are a limited number of NIOSH positions located in Atlanta, GA. Visit the Career Opportunities at NIOSH page to learn more about careers at NIOSH.

Publications from the U.S. Bureau of Mines can be obtained free of charge from the Publications & Distribution section at the NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory at pitpdrequests@cdc.gov, by contacting the research librarians at PRL (Kathleen Stabryla) or SRL (Carolyn Takeuchi), or by contacting the authors themselves. The Mine Safety and Health Administration also provides older U.S. Bureau of Mines publications. Contact them at MSHALibrary@dol.gov. U.S. Bureau of Mines publications may also be obtained from the National Technical Information System (NTIS) at http://www.ntis.gov/support/index.html for a small charge. Some U.S. Bureau of Mines publications are available online on the Downloadable Mining Publications page.

Mineral commodity information is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). They can be accessed via the USGS website at http://www.usgs.gov/.

The Ringelmann Smoke Chart continues to be one of the most sought after resources for work in smoke abatement. Originally published by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1955 and revised in 1967, the Ringelmann Smoke Chart can be downloaded in PDF format.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (http://www.msha.gov/), in the Department of Labor, is the Federal regulatory agency for mining. MSHA's mission is to administer the provisions of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. You can view regulatory and enforcement on their website.

Many states also regulate mining. MSHA maintains links to state mining agencies at http://www.msha.gov/SITEINF1.HTM where you can find information about the laws for particular states.

If the mine is currently operating, you should contact the facility directly if you have questions or concerns. If it is abandoned, there are many agencies you can contact, depending on the state where you live. See the links to state mining agencies on the Mine Safety and Health Administration web site at http://www.msha.gov/SITEINF1.HTM. If you have concerns about mine subsidence, acid mine drainage, or other issues, you may contact the U.S. Office of Surface Mining at http://www.osm.gov/.

You will find several graphs and tables on NIOSH's Historical Mine Disasters page. In addition, there are many excellent websites that provide historical information on mining. The Mine Safety and Health Administration maintains pages on Mining History, Museums, and Disasters at http://www.msha.gov/history.htm and Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the United States at http://www.msha.gov/mshainfo/factsheets/mshafct8.htm, and also has links to other informative sites. State or regional mining associations are also a good place to look.

Summary information is available in the Mining Statistics section of our web site, where you will find a wide variety of graphs, tables, and maps displaying items of interest. The National Mining Association produces two excellent publications - Facts About Minerals and Facts About Coal. These publications include mining statistics, facts about uses of minerals or coal, and a wide range of other up-to-date information. They are published annually and are available through the National Mining Association at http://www.nma.org/about_us/pub_publications.asp. You may also want to look at the web site of the Energy Information Administration (http://www.eia.doe.gov/), a statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as the web site of the Mine Safety and Health Administration at http://www.msha.gov/stats/statinfo.htm.

The following are selected NIOSH statistical reports/publications containing considerable data on mining:

• Worker Health Chartbook 2004 consolidates information from the network of injury and illness surveillance tracking systems in the U.S. and is designed for agencies, organizations, employers, researchers, workers, and others who need to know about occupational injuries and illnesses. Chapter 4 focuses on the high-risk occupations in the mining and construction industries.
• Worker Health Chartbook 2000 with a Focus on Mining section presents a detailed overview of mining and injuries. This report includes a historical perspective of fatal injuries during the 85-year period 1911-1995, along with data on fatal and lost work-day injuries during the 10-year period 1988-1997.
• Injuries, Illnesses, and Hazardous Exposures in the Mining Industry, 1986-1995: A Surveillance Report summarizes available data on work-related fatal and nonfatal injuries in the mining industry for the 10-year period 1986-1995.