Mine Safety and Health Administration August 8, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines
Document Number: 2013-19029
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2013-08-08
Agency: Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is requesting data, comments, and information on issues and options relevant to miners' escape and refuge that may present more effective solutions than the existing rule during underground coal mine emergencies. The Agency continues to reiterate that in the event of an underground coal mine emergency, a miner should seek escape as the first line of defense. Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) will assist MSHA in determining if changes to existing practices and regulations would improve the overall strategy for survivability, escape, and training to protect miners in an emergency. MSHA will review the comments to determine what actions, if any, the Agency will take in response to comments.
Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines
Document Number: 2013-19028
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2013-08-08
Agency: Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is reopening the rulemaking record for MSHA's existing rule on Refuge Alternatives for the limited purpose of obtaining comments on the frequency for motor task (also known as ``hands-on'' training), decision-making, and expectations training for miners to deploy and use refuge alternatives in underground coal mines. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit remanded a training provision in the Refuge Alternatives rule, directing MSHA to explain the basis for requiring motor task (hands-on), decision-making, and expectations training annually rather than quarterly or to reopen the record and allow public comment. MSHA will review the comments to determine an appropriate course of action for the Agency in response to comments. MSHA will publish its response in the Federal Register addressing the public comments and either explaining the reason that it is leaving the existing rule unchanged or modifying the rule as the result of the public comment process.
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