Mining/Oil/Gas

Washington — Alarmed by a recent spike in cases of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, a deadly but preventable condition commonly known as black lung, union presidents Cecil Roberts of the United Mine Workers of America and Leo Gerard of United Steelworkers have sent a letter to Mine Safety and Health Administration leader David Zatezalo requesting stricter regulation of respirable silica dust.

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration’s planned Request for Information on respirable crystalline silica, scheduled for publication in July, will focus on personal protective equipment – mainly helmets with respirators – according to agency chief David Zatezalo.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has revamped its Mine Data Retrieval System in an effort to add functionality and more intuitive navigation to the online tool.

Washington — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement recently unveiled a free text message alert system that delivers the agency’s safety alerts and bulletins to offshore oil and gas workers on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Baton Rouge, LA — The OSHA Region 6 Training Institute Education Centers recently released a video on recognizing and controlling common hazards in oil and gas exploration.

Washington — Miners’ attitudes toward risky behavior may influence their susceptibility to near misses, according to a recent study.

Chicago — Long workdays and being new on the job are two factors that may heighten the risk of workplace injuries among miners, a recent study suggests.

Port Fourchon, LA — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s rollback of certain provisions of a rule intended to prevent a repeat of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig disaster will maintain safety and environmental protections, the agency claims, as advocacy groups announce their intention to fight the move.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration is accepting applications for its Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants Program.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration is extending to Sept. 25, 2020, the deadline for a Request for Information on ways to monitor and regulate miner exposure to diesel exhaust in underground mines.