Mining Safety Mine Safety And Health Act

Mining Safety Mine Safety And Health Act

There have been a large number of different safety accidents that have occurred over the years. In 1969 the Federal Government of the United States passed the Federal Coal Mine Health And Safety Act of 1969.

It is also known as Public Law 91-173, and it is known commonly as the Coal Act.  It created the mine enforcement and Safety Administration which later became the Mine Safety and Health Administration that is part of the department of the Interior.

It is similar in form and function to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration but addressed surface and underground mining of coal. It made a lot of changes and strengthened laws dealing with the mining industry.

The Coal act means every mine has to be inspected four times a year if underground, and twice a year if on the surface. The inspection is for safety and health rules that the Coal Act made stronger, and it gave the Federal Government enforcement in Coal mines concerning health standards and safety issues.

It provided compensation for miners that are disabled by the different diseases caused by mining such as Black Lung or coal dust pneumoconiosis.

Enforcement of the Coal act began slow but in 1970 after the act was in place for a year a number of coal mine accidents happened which increased the enforcement of the act.

It was updated by the 1977 Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, public law 95-164. Both laws give a lot of requirements for mines and mine owners to make sure that mines are safe, that there are safety equipment on the premises, and that they are regularly inspected by the federal government.  With the placement of these two federal mine acts the conditions in mines have improved considerably.