Annual report of the Secretary of Labor under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, Fiscal Year 1985

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6151956

Mining, an industry vital to our Nation's economy, continues to become a safer and more healthful occupation in which to work. In the 1980's, cooperative efforts by the mining community have resulted in unprecedented safety progress. Fatal mine accidents, once totaling over 3000 a year, have declined to less than 200 annually. Nonfatal accidents also have been at their lowest levels in history. How has this progress come about. There are many sides to the story. One is technology: safety devices, monitoring equipment, highly productive mining machines that expose fewer workers to mine hazards. Another is training: today's miners have more education in safe and healthful work practices than ever before. A third is teamwork: strong safety programs, labor-management cooperation, and good working relationships among members of the mining community. In FY 1985, the Mine Safety and Health Administration worked to support all these aspects of safety progress. Besides inspecting the Nation's mines, we carried out many special programs to improve safety and health. In the coal industry, for example, management, labor, and other government agencies joined with us in a concerted attack on the most frequent cause of coal mine deaths - falls of the coal mine roof. In FY 1985, these fatalities declined sharply. Increasingly, mining people recognize that safety and high productivity are compatible goals. For example, the coal industry recently achieved new safety records while producing more coal than ever before in history. A safe and healthful working environment and productivity go hand in hand. As one industry leader put it, ''Safety is good business.'' The industry can't afford not to be safe or to maintain unhealthful working conditions.

• Research Organization: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Denver, CO (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6151956
• Report Number(s): NP-7900972; ON: DE87900972
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
016000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Health & Safety
ACCIDENTS
COAL INDUSTRY
COAL MINERS
COAL MINES
COAL MINING
ENGINEERING
EQUIPMENT
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
MINERS
MINES
MINING
MINING EQUIPMENT
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
PERSONNEL
SAFETY
SAFETY ENGINEERING
TRAINING
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US DOE
US MSHA
US ORGANIZATIONS