Senator McConnell Announces Senate Passage Of Miner-Safety Legislation
Senator McConnell Announces Senate Passage Of Miner-Safety Legislation
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell announced today that the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, S. 2803, the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act). Senator McConnell, a cosponsor of the bill, announced the agreement on the Senator floor this morning. The measure will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.
"This is the most comprehensive package of miner-safety legislation in a generation. Once it is fully implemented, the brave men and women who descend into the darkness to provide the rest of us with light and heat will have safer working conditions than ever before," said Senator McConnell.
The MINER Act:
Requires mining companies to submit to the Mine Safety and Health AdministrationMSHAup-to-date emergency preparedness and response plans. The plans must be adapted to each individual mine, and MSHA must review and re-certify them every six months. As conditions change, so must the response plans, in order to best protect our miners.
Requires the mining companies to put in place state-of-the-art, two-way wireless communications and electronic tracking systems. Mine rescue team response will be both faster and safer.
Requires every miner to have at least two hours of oxygen on hand, and stores of oxygen to be stashed every 30 minutes along escape routes for evacuating miners.
Gives the Secretary of Labor the authority to request the closure of a mine that refuses to pay the fines it has been assessed for safety violations.
Clarifies that mine rescue teams are not liable for any injuries or deaths that may happen due to rescue activities. This is very important because, up to now, some mining companies have hesitated to have mine rescue teams for fear of being sued. This provision of the bill will ensure the mining companies have the incentive to put a mine rescue team in place.
Creates grant programs to improve safety training, direct studies of safety techniques, and create an interagency group to facilitate the development of new safety technologies and activities.
http://mcconnell.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=256027&start=1