NIOSH Comments to DOL on the Mine Safety and Health Administration's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Notification, Investigation, Reports and Records of Accidents, Injuries, Illnesses, Employment and Coal Production in Mines by R. W. Niemeier, February 24, 1989

摘要

The testimony concerns the position of NIOSH regarding the existing reporting system of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). NIOSH opposes any reduction in the present reporting requirements at this time. NIOSH is presently involved with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to upgrade the BLS data gathering system on occupational injuries in general industry. NIOSH addresses five specific areas related to the proposed rulemaking including injury reporting, illness or disease reporting, accident investigation and reporting, employment and coal production reporting, and the MSHA Form 7000-1. In reviewing the current reporting system and data generated by it, NIOSH concludes that the reported injury data are among the best available from any United States governmental regulatory agency. The illness data could be improved by providing more specific disease categories. Minor changes in the Form 7000-1 would provide more easily correlated data. The reliability and detail of the MSHA's data benefit both the operator and the miner by providing for safety and health regulations that are protective to the miner and specific to the problem.