Mining/Oil/Gas

Washington – Days after his May 10 release from federal prison after serving a one-year sentence for violating mine safety laws, former Massey Energy Co. CEO Don Blankenship sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking him not to consider legislation that would strengthen punishments for mine supervisors who knowingly flout safety rules.

Arlington, VA – Mine Safety and Health Administration inspectors will conduct safety “walk and talks” with miners and mine operators during upcoming visits in response to a recent increase in mining deaths involving lone workers.

Washington – Fatal falls among workers in the oil and gas extraction industry occur most often during rigging procedures or when workers remove or insert a drill pipe into a wellbore, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – The Mine Safety and Health Administration needs to provide better oversight of coal mine operators’ emergency response plans, according to a recent audit conducted by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

Montreal – Scientific research organization IRSST has released a pamphlet intended to help workers recognize Hypothenar Hammer Syndrome.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration is proposing to delay until July 24 the effective date of a final rule intended to improve pre-shift examinations of metal and non-metal mines.

Washington – A series of free, confidential health screenings will be available for coal miners as part of the NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program.

Washington – Mine operators and workers now have access to updated hazard assessment software from NIOSH.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued a "Fatal Accidents Alert" in response to the deaths of two miners that occurred within 24 hours of each other.

San Francisco – Ninety percent of on-the-job eye injuries could be avoided if workers wore eye protection, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.