Mining/Oil/Gas

Washington — Bipartisan legislation recently reintroduced in the House and Senate would require the Mine Safety and Health Administration to issue an emergency temporary standard aimed at protecting mine workers from exposure to COVID-19.

Arlington, VA — In an effort to dispel confusion between electronic and electric detonators, the Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued a safety alert.

Washington — President Joe Biden on Jan. 21 signed an Executive Order directing OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration to consider emergency temporary standards related to COVID-19, among other steps.

Arlington, VA — Twenty-nine miners died on the job in 2020, marking the sixth straight year the annual total has remained below 30, the Mine Safety and Health Administration announced Jan. 13.

Washington — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the Department of Energy have established a five-year grant opportunity of up to $40 million for the operation and maintenance of a revamped independent research institute focused on fostering the safety of offshore energy operations, the agencies announced Nov. 23.

Washington — The two-year charter for NIOSH’s Mine Safety and Health Research Advisory Committee has been renewed through Nov. 30, 2022, according to a notice published in the Dec. 11 Federal Register.

Washington — A potential infectious diseases standard from OSHA remains on the list of long-term actions in the Department of Labor’s regulatory agenda for Fall 2020 – the last under the Trump administration.

Washington — Five Senate Democrats are imploring the Mine Safety and Health Administration to lower its exposure limit for crystalline silica – a carcinogen found in sand, stone and artificial stone.

Arlington, VA — A recently proposed rule from the Mine Safety and Health Administration would revise testing, evaluation and approval regulations for mine equipment and accessories powered by electric motors intended for use in environments with gases.

Washington — The COVID-19 pandemic has “exacerbated” the challenges for OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration to use their resources to protect the safety and health of workers, according to the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.