Mine Safety and Technology Commission Releases Report

摘要

During early December, the U.S. Mine Safety Technology and Training Commission (MSTTC), provided recommendations in its report, Improving Mine Safety Technology and Training: Establishing U.S. Global Leadership. The commission was created in March 2006 by the U.S. National Mining Association (NMA) and its members included mine health and safety professionals from academia, government, industry and labor; those having special expertise in communications technology, emergency and disaster response and recovery; and mine rescue experts. The report was also reviewed by a group of recognized mine safety experts. "As the U.S. coal industry entered 2006, it was poised to extend a record of continuous improvement in mine safety," said Dr. R. Larry Grayson, MSTTC chairman (and chair and professor of mining engineering at the University of Missouri-Rolla), "That record was tragically interrupted by fatalities that have rocked the industry and caused NMA and its members to recommit to returning the U.S. coal industry to a global mine safety leadership role with a goal of achieving zero fatalities and zero serious injuries in the U.S. underground coal mining industry. Our report outlines a way to achieve this goal." Specifically, Grayson said it details a comprehensive approach to increase significantly the odds of survival for miners in emergency situations and to create a culture of prevention to address significant hazards that lead to injuries.