Mining/Oil/Gas

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued a safety alert in response to five fatal incidents that occurred when miners situated between a longwall face conveyor and coal face were struck by falling sections of the face or roof.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration recently released its annual safety alert spotlighting hazards unique to the mining industry during winter.

Washington – David Zatezalo is the new assistant secretary of labor for the Mine Safety and Health Administration, after the Senate confirmed him Nov. 15 in a 52-46 vote.

Washington – Contending that it lacks proper regulatory authority, the Chemical Safety Board on Nov. 14 voted to withdraw its recommendations issued to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement after its investigation into the April 2010 explosion and fire that killed 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

Washington – Are you one of the thousands of men who grow facial hair – and awareness for men’s cancer – in November? If you are, and you wear a respirator at work, NIOSH has guidance for you.

Washington – Although tobacco use continues to decrease among working adults overall, a significant number of workers in the construction, mining, and transportation and warehousing industries still use some form of tobacco product, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – Noting that “regulators of high-hazard industries must have an informed and reasoned basis for making their regulatory choices,” a recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine states that clarifying design concepts of safety regulations in industries such as transportation, chemical manufacturing, and offshore oil and gas development – and exploring how various circumstances may impact them – can help.

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board has released a video on last year’s ExxonMobil refinery fire, which severely burned four workers in Baton Rouge, LA.

Washington – The Mine Safety and Health Administration will be gathering suggestions and comments on planned improvements to the Mine Data Retrieval System, as well as its new search page for health and safety materials, as part of a public webinar scheduled for Oct. 19.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has put on hold until June 2 the effective date of a final rule intended to improve pre-shift examinations of metal and non-metal mines.