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PA Governor Rendell Urges Support for State, Federal Measures to Enhance Mine Safety

Posted on: Friday, 10 February 2006, 15:00 CST

EAST BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP, Pa., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Flanked by dozens of underground miners, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today called on the General Assembly to quickly pass his legislation designed to keep miners safe, modernize Pennsylvania's outdated mine safety laws and keep pace with a rapidly changing industry.

The Governor also unveiled new provisions that aim to protect miners in the event of an accident and assist the rescuers trying to reach them.

Mines would need an approved escape plan that prompts faster emergency response, requires stockpiled oxygen and seeks better communications to better track underground miners. The plan incorporates the installation of "lifelines" that miners can grab and use as a guide to safety if they are ever trapped in an area that fills with smoke or debris, as well as the location of safe places in the mines for workers to seek refuge in case escape routes are blocked.

"Coal mining is dramatically safer today than it was in the days gone by; but compared to what most of us do for a living, it's still a dangerous job," Governor Rendell said. "The miners who do this work do it to support their families and put food on the table. And it is because of them that all of us can turn on the lights each day and keep our homes warm. Given all they do for us, we have a duty to do all we can for them."

Governor Rendell first unveiled his legislative package in July 2004, proposing some of the most significant changes in decades to the commonwealth's mine safety laws. The commonwealth's deep mine safety law was written in 1889 and last updated in 1961.

Sen. Richard Kasunic and Rep. Bob Bastian introduced the Governor's proposal in the legislature last fall. Among its main provisions, the measure eliminates obsolete language in the state's mine safety statutes, enhances the role of the Department of Environmental Protection's mine safety experts in permit reviews, increases corporate responsibility and broadens DEP's authority to issue regulations, impose penalties and hold mine operators responsible for safety compliance issues.

The Governor's newly proposed provisions, modeled in part after a new law adopted by West Virginia in the aftermath of four accidents that killed 16 miners since the beginning of the year there, will be introduced as an amendment by Sen. Kasunic and Rep. Bastian.

DEP currently works directly with mine operators to develop emergency response and notification plans. Mine operators have emergency notification numbers for DEP mine safety staff and access to a 1-800 number that is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Governor Rendell's amendment requires notification within 15 minutes after an accident occurs.

In addition to incorporating this provision into state law, the amendment requires mine operators to include in their approved escape plans locations where self-contained self-rescuers will be stockpiled to provide trapped miners with a supply of fresh air. The escape plans also must address the use of the best available communications and tracking devices that could help rescuers locate and reach miners.

The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration requires miners to carry self-contained self-rescuers, which can provide an hour of oxygen in a mine emergency. Pennsylvania would have the same requirement under the Governor's amendment. In addition, mine operators must include self-contained self- rescuers stockpiles and examine the use of available communications and tracking devices in their escape plans.

Although these provisions mirror the West Virginia law, Pennsylvania's amendment goes further by incorporating lifelines in escape ways with access to stockpiled self-contained self-rescuers, and the location of safe places where mines can seek refuge.

"What happened in West Virginia has affected all of us -- and it has drawn new attention on making sure every effort is taken to send our miners home safe and secure at the end of their shift," Governor Rendell said. "Safe mines are a reality only when miners, mine operators and government make safety a priority every minute of every day."

Governor Rendell also sent a letter to Pennsylvania's Congressional Delegation urging their support of federal mine safety legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia and co-sponsored U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

That measure seeks faster notifications and rapid response after an accident, requires emergency communications equipment and stockpiled breathing caches underground, creates new mandatory minimum penalties for coal operators that fail to keep miners safe, enhances belt system safety to prevent fires, fosters research and technology development to improve mining operations, and creates an ombudsman office for miners to report safety violations.

The Governor's actions come just four days after he ordered the re- inspection of the state's 77 active underground mines in the next 30 days. State inspectors are conducting a thorough inspection of sensitive areas of the bituminous, anthracite and industrial mineral mines. The enhanced inspections -- which focus on electrical systems, roof control plans, ventilation and rock-dusting procedures -- are taking place on top of all normal activities.

Governor Rendell's proposed 2006-07 General Fund budget includes $508,000 for underground mine safety and enhanced inspections through DEP's Bureau of Mine Safety.

Pennsylvania mine operators heeded MSHA's call for a voluntary "timeout" Monday to discuss safety with workers. MSHA also announced this week that it is pursuing a rarely-used emergency temporary rulemaking to get help into the field as fast as possible to better protect miners and ensure they can safely evacuate a mine during an emergency.

In the wake of the near catastrophe and successful rescue at Quecreek Mine in Somerset County in July 2002, Pennsylvania has ushered in a series of changes under the Governor's direction to enhance mine safety, including: revising mine permitting and inspection procedures to include DEP's mine safety experts, putting in place stringent requirements concerning verification of underground mine maps and revising training protocol for the Bureau of Mine Safety staff and mine workers.

Despite these improvements, legislative changes are still needed. Among the most significant proposed changes in the Governor's proposed legislation:

-- Make the mine owner or operator primarily responsible for safety compliance at the mine, and allow DEP to assess fines and penalties for noncompliance. Currently, only individual certified employees or supervisors, such as foremen, can be held responsible for an accident, not the mine company or its executives. -- Create a three-member Mine Safety Board with the authority to promulgate regulations to keep pace with mine safety technology. The board could act quickly to put in place necessary improvements and precautionary measures to keep miners safe as the industry continues to advance. -- Eliminate obsolete language in Pennsylvania's mine safety statutes to remove references to animals and stables in mines, and references about transporting miners into the mines on conveyer belts, among other outdated provisions. -- Increase to 500 feet from 200 feet the distance from which a bituminous underground operator must conduct advanced drilling when approaching an adjacent mine that may contain water or gas. (This has been instituted administratively as well.)

For more information on mine safety in Pennsylvania and details about Governor Rendell's initiatives, visit DEP's Web site at http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/ and click on "Mine Safety" under the Hot Topics section.

The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/.

CONTACT: Kate Philips, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor, +1-717-783-1116; or Kurt Knaus, DEP, +1-717-787-1323.

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:

Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

CONTACT: Kate Philips, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor,+1-717-783-1116; or Kurt Knaus, DEP, +1-717-787-1323

Web site: http://www.state.pa.us/http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/http://www.governor.state.pa.us/

Source: PRNewswire

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