The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced five final rules affecting mine safety and health. The rules will appear in the November 12 edition of the Federal Register and will take effect 30 days after publication. MSHA said the changes support President Trump’s executive order addressing regulations it describes as unnecessary, outdated or burdensome.
What it means
MSHA said the rules retain miner protections while eliminating requirements that no longer apply to underground mining. The changes remove obsolete effective dates, technology provisions that are no longer used and duplicative requirements.
The final rules address permissible lamps, diesel particulate matter, foam generator systems in underground coal mines, electrical face equipment in coal seams above the water table, and final mining of pillars. MSHA also issued four final deregulatory rules earlier this year.
Key facts
- MSHA announced five final mine safety and health rules.
- The rules are scheduled for publication in the November 12 Federal Register.
- All five rules take effect 30 days after publication.
- The rules cover permissible lamps, diesel particulate matter and underground coal-mine foam generator systems.
- Other rules address electrical face equipment and final mining of pillars.
- MSHA published four earlier final deregulatory rules this year.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration announcement