Calling them “online enhancements” to its existing system, MSHA said the tools will allow operators to monitor compliance history, such as Pattern of Violation (POV) eligibility or the number of significant and substantial (S&S) violations a mine has received in a given time period.
The first new tool identifies those health and safety outlines MSHA highlighted in its “Rules to Live By” enforcement program and includes 47 of the most common mining death causes, 28 that apply to coal mines and 19 related to metal/nonmetal.
The second tool, also tied to its 2010 initiative’s most emphasized rules, tracks compliance of nine standards associated with hazardous conditions that pose the greatest risk to underground coal miners. They include ventilation, methane, roof control, combustible materials, rock dust, equipment guarding and other safeguards.
“These new Web tools will enable mine operators to monitor their own compliance with specific safety and health standards that are commonly linked to mining deaths and frequently cited by MSHA,” said Joseph Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “Operators will be able to track their mine’s performance and take any corrective action that may be needed to improve compliance.”
The “Rules to Live By” tool can be found at http://www.msha.gov/drs/rlb-violations-calculator.asp. Enter the mine ID to view violations during the last inspection quarter for underground mines and the last six-month inspection period for surface mines.
The underground mine examination tool is available at http://www.msha.gov/drs/Part75ExamRule-calculator.asp, also usable by entering the mine ID. The page will display the number of violations of the nine examination rules during the last inspection quarter for underground coal mines and list the specific exam rule standards cited by MSHA.
