YEARS OF SUCCESS

(202) 693-9400 

Chief of Staff 

Administrator for Coal Mine Safety & Health 

Administrator for Metal & Nonmetal Mine 

Safety & Health 

Mark Skiles 

Associate Solicitor for Mine Safety & Health 

Editor

Graphic Design

U.S. Department of Labor 

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao 

Mine Safety and Health Administration 

1100 Wilson Boulevard, 21st Floor 

Arlington,Virginia 22209-3939 

Assistant Secretary Dave D. Lauriski 

Loretta Herrington 

Deputy Assistant Secretary John R. Correll 

Deputy Assistant Secretary David Dye 

Ray McKinney 

Robert Friend 

Director, Office of Standards, Regulations 

& Variances Marvin Nichols 

Director of Administration & Management David Meyer 

Director, Office of Assessments Neal Merrifield 

Director, Office of Technical Support 

Director, Office of Program Evaluation and 

Information Resources George Fesak 

Director, Office of Educational 

Policy & Development Jeffrey Duncan 

Edward Clair 

25 Years of Success 

: Alan R. Severson, Senior Counsel, Office of the 21st Century Workforce 

Editorial Staff: Rodney Brown, Program Information Specialist; Amy Louviere, Program Information Specialist 

With Special Thanks for the Contributions of: Jane DeMarchi, Jimmy Shumate, Melody Bragg,Yvonne Farley, Ron 

Minor, Kathy Snyder, Diana Gruver, Lynnette Haywood, Bob Phillips,William Wilson, Bill Ward, and Bill West. www.msha.gov : Kate Krizan, Office of Audio-Visual Services, U.S. Department of Labor 
Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 

U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH YEARS OF SUCCESS 

Table of Contents 

1
 Message from U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao 

2
 Message from Assistant Secretary Dave D. Lauriski 

3
 The MSHA Record of Achievement, 1978 to Today 

11
 Creating a Culture of Prevention 

15
 Miracle at Que Creek: Mine Rescue Brings Out the Best 

18
 A Woman’s Place is in the Mines 

22
 Technology Breaks Through in America’s Mines 

25
 Training Day: The National Mine Health and Safety Academy 

28
 Leadership Roll Call: Assistant Secretaries for Mine Safety & Health, 1978 to Today 

29
 Message from Alliance Partners 

31 In the Line of Duty: Mine Inspectors Who Gave Their Lives for Others


32 MSHA: Mission,Vision and Values

A Message from 

U.S. Secretary of Labor 

Elaine L. Chao 

1. 

U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH 
A Message from 

Assistant Secretary 

Dave D. Lauriski 

2. 

U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH 
Looking Back, Looking Ahead:


MSHA

The


Record of 

ACHIEVEMENT 

1978 - Today 

I

Present at the Creation of miners and other underground workers Soon, there were changes for the better. A


t is 1977, and safety and health standards were victims of countless fatal accidents. combination of tougher mining laws and
 have improved dramatically for more than In 1907, 362 miners were killed in one increased awareness of improved safety and
 500,000 workers in America’s mining horrific coal mine explosion alone in West health in mining among government, labor
 industry since the earliest days of extracting Virginia. More than 3,000 miners died and industry reduced those annual totals minerals from the earth. that year, the largest total ever recorded in over the course of the 20th century to 322


It was a long journey to reach this point. a single year. Annual mining fatality totals deaths in 1976. This was great progress, but


During the late 19th century and through- numbering in the thousands were not far too many deadly accidents continued to


out the 20th century, hundreds of thousands uncommon during the first decade of the plague the nation’s mines.


20th century. 

3. 

Photo courtesy of Michael Carpenter 
MSHA Mission To eliminate fatal mining accidents and to reduce the frequency and severity of 

non-fatal accidents; to minimize health hazards; and to promote the improved safety and health conditions in the 

Nation’s mines by administering the provisions of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. 

Accordingly, the U.S. Congress went to safety and health from the Department of setting mandatory safety standards for gassy which permeates this industry that ‘coal 

work in 1977 crafting legislation to address Interior to the Department of Labor and mines. But mining accidents, particularly mining is a hazardous occupation and we 

the safety problems still prevalent in the gave MSHA its name. those claiming multiple victims, continued cannot change this fact.’ Men’s lives are at 

mining industry. On March 9, 1978, the to occur with alarming frequency. In stake and those of their families who are 

legislation created a new federal agency to Building on the Past 1963, a federal task force was established to dependent on them. Despite the hazardous 

oversee mine safety and health in America, The hazards of mining and the need to investigate mine safety and recommend nature of this occupation, the committee is 

the Mine Safety and Health Administration improve safety and health for miners had improvements. convinced that these hazards can be sub-

(MSHA). As stated in the Federal Mine long been a matter of federal law. As early stantially reduced or eliminated. Many are 

Safety and Health Act of 1977, “The first as 1865, Congress created a federal mining Amendments in 1966 required coal mines due to bad practices and a failure to act 

priority and concern of all in the coal or bureau. However, little was done until a employing 14 or fewer miners to comply vigorously to change them.” 

metal and nonmetal mining industry must series of mine disasters occurred which with mine safety law. But the 1966 

be the health and safety of its most precious spurred public demand for government Amendments only addressed a small portion Congress further noted that there was “an 

resource—the miner.” action to stop the loss of life. of the causes of accidents occurring in the urgent need to provide more effective 

mines. Most were still beyond the reach means and measures for improving the 

The Act combined existing federal legisla- In 1910, Congress established the Bureau of of the federal statute and left to the incon­ working conditions and practices at the 

tion for coal and metal and nonmetal mines Mines in the Department of Interior and sistencies of state laws and the advisory Nation’s coal mines in order to prevent 

into a single law. While the laws on the charged it with investigating mining methods nature of the Bureau of Mines Coal Mine death and serious physical harm, and in 

books had been enacted to improve work- and practices related to safety and accident Safety Code. Clearly, stronger legal remedies order to prevent occupational diseases origiing conditions for miners, the new law prevention. This Act, however, had some were needed. In 1966, the Federal Metal nating in such mines.” Such conditions 

eliminated weaknesses in prior legislation. significant limitations. Most significantly, it and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act also be- were serious impediments “to the future 

For instance, under the Federal Metal and denied “any right of authority in connec­ came law, partially responding to task force growth of the coal mining industry” and 

Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act of 1966, tion with the inspection or supervision of recommendations. “could not be tolerated.” 

enforcement sanctions were insufficient to mines....on the part of any Bureau of Mines 

encourage compliance. Neither the Coal employee.” It would take many more years Strengthening the Law To live up to these words, the Act for the 

Act nor the Metal Act could quickly address and many more deaths before federal mine Congress responded with the strongest first time established binding safety and 

health hazards. Lawmakers were concerned safety personnel had the authority to set mine safety legislation in the nation’s histo­ health standards for the U.S. coal mining 

that the procedures to promulgate safety and mine safety and health standards, inspect ry: the Federal Coal Mine Health and industry and required all operators and minhealth standards under the older laws were mining operations for compliance, and issue Safety Act of 1969, legislation widely con­ ers to comply. Inspection of all undertoo slow to keep pace with the advances civil citations for violations. sidered one of the most effective occupa­ ground coal mines would now take place 

taking place in the mining industry. tional safety statutes ever enacted. “(The quarterly, along with new assistance to states 

In 1952, Congress passed the Federal Coal Congressional committee) determined in enforcing effective coal mine health and 

Finally, the Mine Safety and Health Act of Mine Safety Act, providing for annual early in its consideration that the Nation safety programs. 

1977 moved the agency monitoring mine inspections of underground coal mines and can no longer accept the fatalistic attitude 

4.

MSHA TIMELINE 

National Mine Health and Safety Academy opens 

322 accidental deaths occur in America’s mines 

Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 passes Congress 

Mine Safety and Health Administration created at U.S. Department of Labor 

Robert B. Lagather appointed first MSHA Assistant Secretary 

MSHA establishes miner discrimination complaint system 

Self-contained self-rescuers required in underground mines 

242 victims of fatal mining accidents in the United States 12 mine disasters recorded in the 1970s 

Source: MSHA 

5. 

For the first time, the law protected whistleblowers who reported unsafe conditions and 

allowed miners’ representatives to accompany federal inspectors during inspections. It 

also established a compensation program for 

miners suffering from “black lung” disease 

and provided for sampling of coal mine dust 

to enforce vigorous new 

dust standards. 

Implementing the new law was no easy task, 

but progress was steady. As the U.S. Bureau 

of Mines annual report to Congress in 1972 

noted: “The hesitation, confusion, and 

occasional defiance that marked the coal 

industry’s first two years under the (Mine) 

Act began to diminish. Despite the obvious 

difficulties inherent in altering traditional 

ways of operating, the industry in 1972 

undertook to adapt itself more fully to the 

numerous and complex provisions of the 

law. Most coal mines, small and large alike, 

installed new equipment and modified mining practices and machinery to achieve 

compliance with health and safety standards 

set forth under the law.” 

Despite these steps forward, the nation’s 

miners still experienced too many deaths 

and injuries on the job. In the early 1970s, 

one miner was killed and 66 others were 

injured in the mines every day. Once again, 

Congress reacted. In 1976, a congressional 
Ford B. Ford appointed MSHA Assistant Secretary 

MSHA field structure reorganized to improve relations with mine operators 

MSHA conducts comprehensive review of mine safety and health standards 

David A. Zegeer appointed MSHA Assistant Secretary 

MSHA Approval and Certification Center dedicated 

Trespass Accident Program Safety (TAPS) Program launched to reduce dangers of abandoned mines 

Coal Mine Safety and Health launches advanced training program 

MSHA leads Mining Industry Committee on Substance Abuse 

review of enforcement of the 1966 

Metal Act and the 1969 Coal Act 

found that fatalities and injuries in the 

mines were “still unacceptably and 

unconscionably high.” 

MSHA is Launched 

In 1977, a new law was enacted to 

improve safety in America’s mines. 

Under the terms of the Federal Mine 

Safety and Health Act of 1977, the 

Mine Safety and Health Administration 

was created at the U.S. Department of 

Labor on March 9, 1978, to administer 

a broad regulatory program to reduce 

injuries, illness and fatalities in mining. 

Shortly after MSHA began operating, 

the first Assistant Secretary of Labor 

for Mine Safety and Health Robert 

B. Lagather said: “Our goal is a common sense one: to reduce fatalities 

and injuries in the mines, not to create unnecessary burdens or costs for 

mine operators . . .The 1977 Mine 

Act is one of the most important 

pieces of safety and health legislation 

ever enacted by the Congress . . . The 

Act is being implemented and 

enforced in a fair and reasonable 

manner consistent with its purpose, 

that is to protect miners’ lives. We 

will work with industry to minimize Source: Michael Carpenter 

6. 
David C. O’Neal appointed MSHA Assistant Secretary 

William J.Tattersall appointed MSHA Assistant Secretary 

Nine mine disasters recorded in the 1980s 

the cost of this protection but, the protection accorded to miners in this law should 

not be diminished.” 

And so MSHA has. With offices in 38 states 

around the country, enforcement of safety 

and health rules and other responsibilities 

has never been higher. MSHA conducts 

four inspections every year of all underground coal mines and metal and nonmetal 

mines nationwide, along with two inspections of all surface mining operations each year. The law also gave MSHA new 

enforcement tools to ensure that dangerous 

conditions or practices are corrected. 

Agency inspectors can now issue citations 

for violations of health or safety standards, 

with civil penalties as high as $60,000 per 

violation. 

The Act provides criminal sanctions against 

mine operators who willfully violate safety 

and health standards. MSHA investigates 

alleged willful violations and may turn findings over to the Justice Department for 

prosecution. The new law retains the right 

of inspectors to issue closure orders under 

special circumstances, including when they 

find an imminent danger. 

The Act also prohibits discrimination against 

miners, their representatives, or job applicants 

for exercising their safety and health rights. 

Source: MSHA 

7. 
J. Davitt McAteer appointed MSHA Assistant Secretary 

MSHA establishes official Web site, www.MSHA.gov 

MSHA honors ten agency employees returned from active 

duty military service during 1991 Persian Gulf War 

MSHA’s two Technical Support Centers in Pennsylvania 

merge into one entity, headed by one chief. 

MSHA establishes computer-based electronic bulletin board 

allowing home or office computer users to access mine safety 

and health information through a modem 

Miners voicing concerns over safety and 

health on the job are protected from retribution. MSHA investigates all complaints 

of discrimination. If evidence is found, the 

Labor Department can take the case before 

the independent Federal Mine Safety and 

Health Review Commission. In most 

cases, miners fired for expressing safety 

concerns can get their job back temporarily while a discrimination complaint is 

adjudicated. 

The 1977 Mine Act increased the focus on 

protecting the health of miners in both 

coal and metal and nonmetal mining. It 

expanded the responsibilities of the 

National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health (NIOSH) in what is now the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services and charged that agency with 

developing criteria for mine health standards. 

The agency continued efforts to reduce 

“black lung” among coal miners. Other 

priorities included development of mine 

rescue team regulations for underground 

mines and regulations requiring safety and 

health training for both surface and underground miners. The agency also developed 

regulations identifying independent contractors who could be considered mine 

“operators” under the 1977 Act. Many 

former advisory standards for metal and 

nonmetal mines were converted to mandatory safety standards. 

Under the Act, MSHA offers programs to 

promote enhanced mine safety and health 

throughout the mining industry. For 

example, the agency conducts a national 

mine rescue contest for coal mining in 

odd-numbered years and for metal and 

nonmetal mining in even-numbered years. 

These events call on mine rescue teams 

from around the nation to compete in 

exercises simulating a mine emergency. 

The contests are a proven way to sharpen 

the skills of mine rescue teams that may 

have to rescue real-life miners during a real 

emergency. 

MSHA, in cooperation with the National 

Mining Association, also administers a program honoring safe mining operations in 

the United States. The Sentinels of Safety 

award is given to the mining operation 

achieving the most consecutive hours 

worked without a lost-time injury. The 

Sentinels of Safety awards program actually 

began in 1923 when Herbert Hoover, then 

Secretary of Commerce with jurisdiction 

over the Bureau of Mines, called a conference on mine safety. During the conference, a proposal was made to establish a 

nationwide mine safety competition and 

“Passage of the Mine Act had a major impact 

on reducing fatalities in the mining industry, 

but in more recent years that reduction had 

reached a plateau. The current emphasis on 

compliance assistance and the integration of 

education and training, technical support, 

and enforcement has moved us off that 

plateau to even lower numbers of fatalities. 

It has accomplished this with improved 

working relationships, partnerships, and 

cooperation between the Agency and the 

regulated community.” 

Jim Petrie, District Manager, Metal and Nonmetal, Northeastern District 

Office, Warrendale, PA 

8.

Secretary of Labor names advisory committee on black lung and silicosis 

“Stay Out-Stay Alive” campaign launched 

First International Mine Rescue Contest held 

Black lung disease rate falls nearly 75 percent since the 1970s 

One mining disaster occurs in the 1990s, an all-time low 

MSHA creates dust fraud hotline for miners Electronic system launched for filing miner training plans 

Source: MSHA 

Hoover, himself a mining engineer, enthusiastically approved it. 

MSHA also assists state departments of 

mines to develop and enforce effective mine 

health and safety laws and regulations. 

Funds are given annually to designated 

agencies in 48 states and the Navajo Nation 

to promote training of miners. 

In recent years, MSHA has focused on 

abandoned mines and their inherent danger to explorers, hikers, and children at 

play. Each year, people are hurt or killed 

while exploring abandoned mine sites. 

MSHA warns children about the dangers 

of these sites and warns them to “Stay 

Out-Stay Alive!” 

A Record of Achievement 

It all adds up to a proud record of achievement, and the key is collaboration with the 

industry and its workers. Throughout these 

first 25 years, MSHA has worked with the 

American mining community to join in 

cooperative programs addressing safety and 

health problems. While MSHA enforces 

the Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 

firmly and fairly, the agency also emphasizes the education and training of miners 

and mine managers in mine safety and 

health requirements, as well as engineering 

initiatives, to reduce injuries. Throughout 

9.

Dave D. Lauriski appointed MSHA Assistant Secretary 

Mine Rescue at Que Creek, in Somerset Pennsylvania 

MSHA Web site available in Spanish 

MSHA declares first National Coal Mine Safety Awareness Day MSHA announces lowest mine fatality numbers in recorded history 

the history of the agency, MSHA has 

consistently believed that enforcement 

alone cannot solve all mine safety and 

health problems. 

During confirmation hearings in 1981, 

MSHA’s second assistant secretary, Ford B. 

Ford, put it this way: 

While enforcement of mining regulations 

is an important tool, it is by no means 

the only or even necessarily the overriding 

tool. Safety awareness and knowledge of 

inherent dangers in mining and their avoidance can and must be uniformly achieved 

in all mining activities ...This requires a 

commitment by labor and management to 

cooperate with each other to that end. 

MSHA will provide its experience and 

assistance in achieving such effective 

cooperation. 

MSHA is proud of the impact the agency 

has on safety and health in America’s 

mines. In 1978, there were 242 victims of 

fatal mining accidents in the United States. 

In 2003, fatalities dropped to the lowest 

level in recorded history as 56 miners lost 

their lives in mining industry accidents. 

Mining injuries, too, have fallen dramatically. In 1978, there were 5.81 lost-time 

injuries per 200,000 employee hours. By 

2003, this rate had declined by 49 percent 

to 2.95 lost-time injuries per 200,000 

hours. 

The frequency of mining disasters has also 

declined. During the 1970s, there were 12 

mine disasters. In the 1980s, there were 9 

mine disasters. In the 1990s, only one 

accident, which claimed the lives of eight 

miners, was classified as a disaster. In addition, it is estimated that cases of black lung 

disease among miners, though difficult for 

the agency to track, fell nearly 75 percent 

since the 1970s. Though the task is not 

complete, clearly dramatic progress has 

been made. 

Looking Ahead 

This record speaks for itself, but the men 

and women of MSHA understand that 

even one fatality is one too many. MSHA’s 

mission will not be complete until every 

miner goes home safe and healthy after 

every shift. So the effort to reach this goal 

goes on every day at the Mine Safety and 

Health Administration, and will continue 

until zero tolerance yields the zero illness, 

accident and injury record we are all working for. Assistant Secretary Dave D. Lauriski, MSHA, left, and Governor of Pennsylvania, Mark S. Schweiker , right, head the stretcher pulling team at the Que Creek recovery 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 

For more information about current MSHA programs and activities, please 

visit the agency’s website at www.msha.gov. 

10.

Creatinga culture Prevention 

st MSHA in the 21 Century

I

n 2004, the Mine Safety and Health 

Administration has good news for 

America: Fatalities in the mining industry 

fell to the lowest level ever recorded since 

the government began collecting data in 

1910. Clearly, more miners are returning 

home to their families at the end of every 

shift than ever before. 

This milestone is only one of several showing record-setting improvements in health 

and safety achieved through an innovative 

effort to reduce accidents by: 

● Targeting enforcement to those who fail 

to recognize the value of health and safety; 

● Investing in compliance assistance tools 

to help employers protect workers; and 

● Establishing partnerships with businesses, 

unions, trade associations and professional 

organizations to spread the message that 

safety and health adds value. 

Traditional enforcement methods remain a 

cornerstone. At the same time, the agency 

expanded its compliance assistance program 

so that mine operators can get answers to 

questions and guidance on making operations safer. 

The record shows that MSHA is on the right 

track, but further reduction of injuries and 

of


11. Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 
? ? ? ??

?

DID YOU KNOW?Among underground mine operator employees, the majority – 81.2 percent – work in 

coal mines. Source: NIOSH 

fatalities requires a new emphasis on hazards 

that have not been fully addressed and on 

behavioral aspects of accident prevention. For 

example, small mines employing five or fewer 

workers historically experience a fatality rate 

significantly higher than larger mines. In 

2003, MSHA’s small mine office assisted nearly 

1,700 small mines with training, education and 

compliance assistance. In coming years, MSHA 

expects this effort to help more small mines 

implement safety and health programs that 

better protect their workers. 

MSHA is also placing new emphasis on 

communication with its key stakeholders. 

Special initiatives include: 

● National Coal Mine Safety Awareness Day. MSHA sent over 600 

enforcement, training and technical support personnel to 1,500 active coal mines 

to speak directly with miners; 

● Spring Thaw Workshops. For metal 

and nonmetal mines, the workshops are 

designed to increase awareness of mine 

safety hazards before the start of the 

high-production season; 

● National Webcasts.With hundreds of 

stakeholders online, MSHA analyzes 

fatalities for cause and prevention, and 

discusses best practices; 

● Hispanic Outreach. Portions of MSHA’s 

Web site and many publications are available in Spanish. MSHA also has bilingual 

TAKING PREVENTION TO THE NEXT STEP: THE TRIANGLE OF SUCCESS 

MSHA’s “Triangle of Success” is a balanced approach to 

mine safety and health, emphasizing enforcement, education and training, and technical assistance. Each element is equally important. 

Enforcement Sets the Pace 

MSHA fulfills its basic enforcement mandates through mine inspections and accident investigations, but an inspector’s job today is 

not simply to identify violations, but to listen to miners’ concerns, 

talk with management, and ultimately identify root causes of mine 

safety and health violations. Above all, mine inspectors resist 

playing a game of “gotcha,” but instead strive to help the mining 

community improve their own safety and health efforts. 

To enhance this effort, MSHA released guidelines used to set civil 

penalties for violations. This is a matter of basic fairness and 

transparency, letting people know the rules to which they are subject. Most penalties are set according to a published formula, 

but until recently “special assessments” outside the formula were 

set under guidelines held within MSHA. Those guidelines are now 

posted on the MSHA Web site and available to all. 

Education and Training: 

The Heart of Compliance Assistance 

Training in the mining industry is crucial to the success of any 

program to reduce accidents and illnesses, and MSHA has 

responded in a variety of ways, including provision of userfriendly training materials for mine operators and miners, and 

mine-site training where safe practices for specific problems are 

demonstrated. MSHA’s education and training specialists regularly offer specialized training when system deficiencies are 

detected at specific mines. 

MSHA has also inaugurated a compliance assistance plan detailing 

steps for better educational outreach to mine operators and miners. 

Compliance assistance means different things to different people. 

In the broadest sense, it identifies concepts and accident prevention 

activities such as education and training, accident and violation 

analysis, hazard identification, root cause analysis, technical support, 

and access to information. Access to information means the information is readable, easily understood, and written in plain language. The key words here are “user-friendly.” 

MSHA’s Web site, www.msha.gov, provides access to a multitude 

of resources for compliance assistance, including a list of the 20 

standards most often cited by major commodity and mining type, 

along with “best practices” information on each. Miners and 

mine operators can also find safety tips, accident investigation 

reports, hazard alerts and bulletins, and “single source” pages 

which give the user access to all documents and resources related to a particular standard, especially new ones. MSHA’s Data 

Retrieval System is also available online, providing access to mine 

overviews, accident and violation records, dust sampling results, 

and employment/production data. 

Breakthroughs in Technical Assistance 

Technical assistance is the third side of the Triangle of Success, 

and a key component of a balanced accident prevention strategy. 

MSHA continuously expands its partnerships with industry and 

labor to identify new technologies that address mine hazards. 

In that regard, MSHA has two primary centers for engineering 

support and technical assistance. The first is the Pittsburgh 

Safety and Health Technology Center, whose divisions include mine 

electrical systems, mine emergency operations, mine waste and 

geo-technical engineering, physical and toxic agents, roof control 

and ventilation. The center responds to requests for assistance 

on safety and health problems at mines throughout the country, 

as well as foreign countries if there is need for expertise in a particular field of mine-related work. 

The internationally recognized Approval and Certification Center in 

Triadelphia, West Virginia certifies mining products for use in 

underground coal and gassy underground metal mines. Experts 

evaluate and test equipment, instruments and materials for compliance with federal regulations. These products range from small 

electronic devices to large mining systems. Once evaluation and 

testing is successfully completed, a license is issued authorizing a 

manufacturer to produce and distribute 

products for use in 

mines. The Center also 

assists in accident 

investigations when an 

explosion, fire, injury or 

fatality involves 

approved equipment. 

MSHA’s team provides 

technical assistance to 

individual mines and 

groups of mines, with particular safety and health concerns, and 

plays a key role in technical innovation. 

12.

U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH YEARS OF SUCCESS 

employees and offers mine-site sessions 

in Spanish; 

● Holiday Safety Initiative. MSHA’s 


Assistant Secretary wrote weekly to every 


mine operator during December 2003 to 


emphasize winter hazards and the need to


stay alert and focused.The results were


historic: Not one fatal injury occurred in


the coal mining industry that month.


Communication with the industry has also 

been enhanced through special alliance 

agreements with trade associations, labor 

unions, and other stakeholders who recognize 

the benefits of closer coordination with MSHA 

to reach health and safety goals. For example: 

● The CEOs of the member companies of 

the National Stone, Sand and Gravel 

Association adopted MSHA’s safety and 

health performance goals as their own. 

This is a first for the industry; 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 

“I visited mines in England, Europe and South America. I am pleased to report that none 

could compare to mine safety in American mines. Without a doubt, MSHA is the finest mine 

safety enforcement agency in the world.” 

James Day, Administrator for Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration (MESA), 1973-1975 

13. 
? ? ? ??

?

DID YOU KNOW?A TV requires 35 different minerals, and more than 30 minerals are needed to make a 

computer. Source: National Mining Association 

“In my years with the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration 

(MESA) and MSHA, I have seen numerous changes in administration and a variety of approaches 

to miner health and safety. For the first time in my career, the philosophy of the present 

leadership matches my personal philosophy: Be firm, but use some common sense along the way.” 

Jimmy Shumate, Mining Engineer, National Mine Health and Safety Academy 

● The National Safety Council mobilized its 


members to protect children from the 


hazards of abandoned mine sites through 


the “Stay Out-Stay Alive” partnership;


MSHA believes that helping employers


comply with laws and regulations is an


effective way to reach enforcement goals.


While holding the industry to stringent


● The International Union of Operating 


Engineers joined MSHA in emergency 


response training exercises to bolster our 


nation’s homeland security.


standards, inspectors are engaged not only


in an enforcement capacity, but to assist


with compliance and identify hazards that


lead to violations.


● Industrial Mineral Association-North America 

signed an alliance agreement partnering Mining has always been a dangerous occu­


with MSHA to foster a culture of pation. MSHA’s mission now and into the


prevention at industry operations future is to reduce that danger. Even with


nationwide. remarkable improvement in mine 


safety and health, one death, injury or 

Further reduction in accidents and fatalities illness is one too many, and the effort to 

also requires a new emphasis on compli- achieve the highest levels of health and 

ance assistance and promoting growth of a safety for America’s miners will not waver. 

culture of prevention in the industry. The 

vast majority of mine operators clearly 

want to do the right thing. Accordingly, Photo courtesy of Rodney Brown 

14.

I

BEST 

BRINGS OUT THE 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 

15. 

MINE RESCUE 

MIRACLE AT QUE CREEK 

From The Ground Up 

t was a nightmare with a happy ending. 

On July 24, 2002 nine miners were working in the Que Creek Mine in Somerset 

County, Pennsylvania when they unexpectedly drilled through a wall into a waterfilled abandoned mine, unleashing millions 

of gallons of water. The area of entrapment 

was approximately 240 feet underground 

and 1.5 miles from the mine entrance. After 

being trapped for three days, all were saved 

in a tense drama that captivated the nation. 

Pennsylvania Bureau of Deep Mine Safety 

to determine the cause of the accident. 

“The Que Creek rescue was a tremendous 

partnership effort by company personnel, 

the miners themselves, federal, state and 

local officials and many others. We carried 

that partnership into the investigation of 

the accident,” said Assistant Secretary of 

Labor for Mine Safety and Health Dave 

D. Lauriski. “The purpose of the investigation, along with the other steps we took, 

was to prevent a recurrence. We must 

keep this from happening elsewhere. Team 

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety 

and Health Administration (MSHA) led the 

rescue effort, using water pumps to stem the 

flooding, while a small airshaft and two larger escape shafts were drilled. About 24 hours 

after the breach occurred, rescuers began 

drilling a 30-inch rescue hole into the mine 

that would accommodate MSHA’s neverbefore-used rescue capsule. Rescuers soon 

heard a familiar but distant banging from 

below, and all nine miners were confirmed 

alive. With the aid of MSHA’s rescue capsule, they were hoisted to the surface one by 

one, cold, wet, tired and hungry, but for the 

most part unharmed. It was an emotional 

moment, and a demonstration of American 

technology and know-how at its best. 

For more than a year, MSHA investigators 

worked closely with investigators from the 

members contributed expertise in a 

range of mine safety specialties in order 

to assemble a complete picture of what 

took place.” 

The investigation determined that the 

primary cause of the water inundation 

was the use of an undated and uncertified 

mine map of the adjacent, water-filled 

mine that did not show the complete and 

final mine workings. The root cause was 

the unavailability of a certified final mine 

map for the adjacent abandoned mine in 

the State of Pennsylvania’s mine map 

repository. 

Acting on that information, MSHA 

launched a national initiative to identify old 

mines, review mine maps, and explore technological innovations, regulations and prac­
? ? ? ??

?

DID YOU KNOW?Every American uses an average 47,000 pounds of newly mined materials each year. 

Source: National Mining Association 

“We as an Agency 

have progressed to 

the point where we 

have been able to 

reduce fatal accidents 

to record-low levels 

for the last three 

years, and virtually 

eliminate catastrophic 

types of accidents. 

As we move into the 

21st century, I am 

proud to have been a 

part of the last 25 

years at MSHA.” 

Steve Luzik, Chief, Approval and 

Certification Center, Triadelphia, WV 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives The flooded Que creek Mine 

16. 
U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH YEARS OF SUCCESS 

tices to prevent these incidents in the future. 

The agency has participated in demonstrations of technology with potential to detect 

mine voids and sponsored two technical 

symposiums to share information. MSHA 

awarded $6 million in grants for technology 

demonstration projects on this issue, and 

another $4 million for mine map digitization programs. 

The agency continues to work with the 

Office of Surface Mining and state mine 

agencies to build a more effective overall 

system for archiving and digitizing mine 

maps and has distributed a public service 

announcement asking the public to share 

old mine maps in their possession. 

Que Creek presented one of the worst-case 

scenarios that the mining community works 

so hard to prevent. The ultimate happy 

ending proved the value of decades of 

investment in mine safety techniques.The 

training of the miners, along with preparedness by the civilian and government rescue 

teams, achieved a mine rescue that will 

never be forgotten – and MSHA’s response 

will hopefully ensure that a mine accident 

like this never happens again. 

17. 

MSHA HOTLINE ON CALL 

MSHA’s 24-hour hotline is available for safety 

and health complaints at (800) 746-1554. 

Recognizing and responding promptly to all 

safety and health complaints is part of MSHA’s 

15/50 goals that aim to reduce the number of 

mining fatalities by 15 percent and the non-fatal 

days-lost accident incident rate by 50 percent 

by 2008. Any complaint about a mine safety 

or health concern is taken seriously. If the 

complaint provides enough information to 

identify the mine’s location and the hazard of 

concern, it will be promptly investigated. 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 
18. 

Mines 

A 

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao with MSHA employee Bertha Brewer 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 

Woman’s 

Place
 is in the
 W

omen mining professionals were rare when an act of Congress created the Mine Safety 

and Health Administration in the U.S. Department of Labor in 1978. Today a woman 

with the MSHA logo on her hard hat no longer causes astonishment when she arrives at 

a mine. “Women have taken their places everywhere on the MSHA team,” says Dave D. 

Lauriski, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health. “In enforcement, education 

and training, and technical support – all the activities that we undertake with the goal of making safety and health values and sending every miner home safe and healthy at the end of 

every working day.” 

All of the women who have broken ground in this nontraditional career field have interesting anecdotes to share. The following five individuals represent MSHA women who have 

held a variety of jobs both in industry and in the federal government. Here are their stories. 

Diane Watson was drawn to non-traditional jobs like a magnet. 

From installing solar systems atop houses in Nevada, to shipping weapons and ammunitions to law enforcement agencies 

throughout California,Watson seemed destined to land in an 

industry that boasts few women in its ranks. 

Diane Watson 
U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH YEARS OF SUCCESS 

“MSHA tremendously 

impacted the everyday 

life of coal mining 

families. The Agency 

has successfully cut 

accident and injury 

rates through 

enforcement, 

education and 

training. I have 

always been proud 

of the men and 

women who have 

made MSHA a great 

success.” 

Hugh V. Smith, Treasurer, National 

Council of Field Labor Locals, AFGE, 

AFL-CIO 

19.


For five years,Watson held a variety of jobs 

at an open pit gold mine, from haul truck 

driver to bulldozer operator to loader and 

grader. “Basically I worked my way through 

all the equipment,” she says. Her work ethic 

and company smarts were noticed by an 

MSHA mine inspector, and she was encouraged to apply for a job at MSHA. “That 

was when I realized how serious MSHA 

people are about what they do. I wanted to 

be a part of that,” says Watson. 

Since 1998, Watson has regularly inspected 

the nearly 50 metal and nonmetal surface 

mines in her northern California territory. 

Watson takes seriously the responsibilities 

of her job, and the gratification she seeks is 

simple and heartfelt. “I know that I have 

the capacity to save lives,” she says. “There 

are days when I talk to the miners and I 

know they are really listening, and maybe 

I’ve convinced them to change the behavior that could get them injured or killed. 

Those are the days when being a federal 

mine inspector is really worthwhile.” 

Linda Zeiler wondered how far a double 

major in environmental sciences and religious 

studies would take her. For the first two years 

of her working life, it landed the Pittsburgh 

native a job at a lab at her alma mater, the 

University of Virginia. Then an opening at 

MSHA’s Toxic Materials Division drew her 

back to her 

hometown 

for an interview. Although she 

didn’t get the 

job, she did go 

back to school 

for yet another 

degree, this time 

in chemistry. 

Linda Zeiler 

It paid off. In 1982, Zeiler was hired by 

MSHA’s Physical and Toxic Agents Division, 

where she spent 12 years. As a chemist, 

Zeiler analyzed gas samples at mine operations throughout the country where underground mine fires were actively burning. 

She juggled her job with courses at the 

University of Pittsburgh, where she would 

eventually earn a Masters Degree in 

Industrial Hygiene. 

In 1995, Zeiler took a technical support job 

at MSHA headquarters in Arlington, where 

she headed an advisory committee studying 

the health effects of dust exposure on miners. That was followed by an assignment 

drafting a regulation on air quality and respiratory protection. By 2000, she had 

achieved a new feather in her hard hat – 

deputy director of Technical Support. “The 

experience gave me much more exposure 

to the safety side of MSHA, whereas my 

background is primarily in health,” says 

Zeiler. “It was also worthwhile because I 

helped put together a list of recommendations for the improvement of MSHA’s overall impoundment inspection and plan 

Dani White 

was a thirdgeneration 

worker in the 

oil fields of 

Oklahoma, 

and had the 

industry 

boom continued, her 

career path 

review process.” 

Certainly there are challenges in upper 

management, notes Zeiler. “It’s all about the 

big picture – meeting the goals of the 

Assistant Secretary and assisting the other 

program areas as best you can.” The picture 

has gotten a bit bigger of late. In August 

2002, Zeiler was one of 27 people selected 

for the Labor Department’s Senior 

Executive Service Candidate Development 

Program. “Achieving SES status requires a 

well-rounded understanding of all the components of an agency. Again, it’s all about 

the big picture,” says Zeiler. 

Dani White 
? ? ? ??

?

DID YOU KNOW?Coal generates more than half the electricity used in the U.S. Source: National Mining Association 

might have been quite different. During a 

two-year stint in the Army,White was the 

first woman in her unit to work on heavy 

artillery. When her tour of duty ended, 

White returned home and spent the next 

seven years running cranes and building 

rigs in the oil fields of Oklahoma and 

west Texas. 

By 1980, a shift in the economy led to cutbacks in the oil industry, and White found 

herself out of a job. Because of her experience running front-end loaders and haulage 

trucks, she didn’t stay unemployed for long. 

For the next nine years,White worked at a 

limestone quarry on the Arkansas River 

operating crushing, loading, drilling and 

blasting equipment. Eventually,White 

moved up to superintendent and encountered the usual challenges that face those 

who manage. “It doesn’t matter whether 

you are male or female, you have to win the 

confidence of the workers,” she says. 

White’s crew earned a number of safety 

bonuses and developed solid safety programs 

and initiatives during her tenure. “I was 

very proud of our safety record, which was a 

big factor on why I decided to take a job at 

MSHA,” she says. In 1999,White entered 

MSHA’s inspector training program and 

parlayed the skills she had garnered as a 

mine superintendent into her new position. 

Today, her inspection territory covers 44 

metal and nonmetal mines throughout 

Oklahoma. “I let the miners know how I 

am. And I ask them to be straightforward 

with me,” she says. “I try not to preach to 

them about safety, but I relate a lot of my 

own experiences and near misses and what I 

could have done to prevent them,” she continues. “They ask a lot of questions, so that 

tells me they’re really listening.” 

In the 1970s, making inroads in a man’s 

world was no easy task, but Margaret Lally 

took it all in stride. The mine safety and 

health specialist in MSHA’s Office of 

Assessments is a veteran of the coal mining 

industry of Kentucky, her home state. 

In 1972, Lally answered an ad for a keypunch operator at a coal company operating 

13 mines in 

western 

Kentucky. 

Lally tackled 

her new job 

with energy 

and enthusiasm, and in 

no time was 

reassigned to 

the lab that 

analyzed coal 

prior to ship- Margaret Lally 

20. 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 
U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH YEARS OF SUCCESS 

ment to utility companies. For 10 years, 

Lally was in charge of sampling at the company’s preparation plants, the processing 

centers where coal is cleaned and readied 

for distribution. “This was no office job. I 

was out at one of the plants every single 

day,” she says. Eventually shifting gears, she 

applied to MSHA in 1992 and began her 

federal service as a mine inspector. This 

was something new, but not unwelcome. “I 

understood what happened after coal came 

out of the ground and is shipped off to the 

utility companies,” says Lally. “Now I 

would find out what happens while it’s 

being mined underground.” 

By 1997, Lally thought an assignment at 

MSHA headquarters in Arlington would 

provide her with better opportunities for 

advancement, so she applied for a job in the 

Office of Assessments. Here she would 

review citations for safety and health violations and determine what dollar amount to 

attach to each one. Lally’s field experience 

has served her well in this position. 

“Whenever I pick up a fatality report, I can 

visualize exactly what they are talking 

about. It certainly helps me in assessing violations,” she says. 

There were plenty of reasons for Cheryl 

McGill to contemplate a career other than 

mining, but as she put it, “I was a very 

young single mother, I was 

independent and I 

was proud, 

and I 

needed a 

job.” So 

in 1975, 

McGill 

signed on 

as a gener- Cheryl McGill al laborer 

for an underground coal mine in western 

Kentucky. Not long after, she transferred 

into a two-year management trainee program that would enable her to complete an 

associate’s degree and become a first-line 

supervisor at the mine. “At that point, I 

learned the distinction between a job and a 

career, and decided I wanted a career,” she 

says. McGill headed to a coal mine in 

southern Illinois and began the career path 

of miner safety and health she continues to 

pursue. “I was part of long-range planning 

and management at the mine,” she explains. 

“I interacted with individual miners, developed programs, and got involved in developing and submitting the mine plans 

required by MSHA.” In 1987, McGill was 

hired as a federal coal mine inspector in 

MSHA’s District 10 office in Madisonville, 

Kentucky. “I knew that miner safety and 

health was an area I wanted to pursue, and 

I’d always had good working relationships 

with inspectors,” she says. After five years 

as a mine inspector, McGill transferred in 

1992 to Coal Safety in Arlington, where 

she remained for nine years. 

In 2001, McGill reached yet another milestone in her career by becoming the firstever female to run an MSHA district 

office.The New Stanton, Pennsylvania 

office has 109 employees and 250 mines in 

its jurisdiction. “When I meet new groups 

for the first time, they are always curious 

about my background and qualifications,” 

says McGill. “But today I don’t even think 

in terms of not being accepted.” 

The high point of her career occurred in 

July 2002, when nine Pennsylvania coal 

miners were successfully rescued from 240 

feet underground after being trapped for 

77 hours. She has nothing but praise for 

the dozens of men and women who helped 

make that moment possible. “We hunkered 

down, worked non-stop, sparing nothing, 

and kept our shoulders to the wheel,” says 

McGill. “For the first time we had an 

incredibly positive outcome and I don’t 

think I’ll ever live enough years to outdo 

that experience.” 

“When I started in 

the mines in 1965, 

you could hardly see 

your hand in front 

of your face underground because the 

coal dust inside the 

mine was so thick. 

Today, you can watch 

the bits on the continuous miner turning 

from 50 to 60 feet 

away.” 

Carl Boone, District Manager, Coal 

Mine Safety and Health Division, 

Madisonville, Kentucky 

21.

Making a Difference Since 1978 Technology 

A

merica’s mines have embraced many 

breakthroughs in technology during the 

past 25 years. They show up across the Breaks 
 industry in better mine safety and health, 

infrastructure, machines, maintenance, and 

procedures. Most technology innovation in 

U.S. mining has focused on re-engineering Through in of machines, facilities and processes to 

increase miner safety and health, boost production, extend the life of existing operations, and increase recoverable reserves. America’s Innovations range from the simple to the 

complex, including: 

● Reflective materials on miners’ clothing 

and caps reduced the likelihood of acci­ Mines dents by making miners more visible in 

underground mines; 

● Fire detection systems and fire suppression 

devices reduced the number and severity 

of fires; 

● A jet engine was used to inject inert exhaust 

gases and extinguish a mine fire; and 

● 

Training using virtual reality and computer-based methods expanded miner 

awareness of and compliance with higher 

health and safety standards. 

These advances have proven their value in reducing loss of life and improving mine 

safety and health. It all adds up to a safer 

and more efficient workplace for America’s 

miners. 

22. 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 
U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH YEARS OF SUCCESS 

“The single most important development during the last 25 years that had the greatest 

impact on reducing mine fatalities is the requirement to use canopies on underground face 

equipment. To date, there have been approximately 300 documented “canopy saves,” 

situations where a life was saved. In addition, a spin-off of the canopy law created an equally 

important safety device, the automated temporary roof support system (ATRS). Roof falls, 

which annually were the leading cause of underground fatal accidents in coal mining, have 

declined from 66 in 1979 to 3 in 2003.” 

Terry Hoch, Chief, Roof Control Division, Technical Support, Pittsburgh Safety and Health Technology Center 

New Help For Mine personnel more ability to communicate of providing communication and life 

Emergencies with miners trapped below the surface of support, while simultaneously drilling a 

MSHA has supported technology innova­ the earth without requiring a hard-wire 28-inch hole suitable for a cable-supported 

tions now available to respond to mine system; escape capsule. For about three decades 

emergencies, including: ● seismic location systems help surface now, this technology has been crucial to ● self-contained oxygen-providing escape workers locate miners underground successful mine rescues. 

breathing devices which help miners through use of geophones, which detect 

survive in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere minute vibrations in the earth caused by Infrastructure and 

by supplying oxygen for at least one trapped miners pounding on the roof, rib Equipment Improvements 

hour, widening the window of opportunity or floor of the mine; and Underground mining 

to find shelter and/or fresh air; ● rapid drill rigs allow rescuers to probe up Underground miners today often use 

● electromagnetic voice and coded message to 2,500 feet for trapped miners with a remote-controlled equipment to recover 

communications systems give surface 6- to 8-inch diameter borehole capable minerals from seams or ore bodies. 

Sophisticated joystick radio controls let miners operate equipment from a safer distance. 

However, remote control technology does 

not always mean safer mining because the 

remote control unit eliminates some safety 

features of the “old” technology, such as an 

on-board protective cab structure. MSHA 

responded by requiring machine operators 

to adopt new safeguards, including operator 

placement away from pinch-point and rooffall areas, and is evaluating use of proximity 

detectors to deactivate machines when a 

miner enters specified danger zones. 

23.

? ? ? ??

?

DID YOU KNOW?Nearly two-thirds of today’s coal production results from surface rather than 

underground mining. Source: NMA 

Twenty-five years ago, most underground 

miner fatalities involved roof fall accidents, 

usually occurring during installment of 

temporary roof supports such as posts or 

jacks. Today, automated temporary roof 

support systems reduce the number of roof 

fall fatalities since the system is activated 

from a protected position. 

Improvements have also been made in longwall mining, where operators run cutting 

machines equipped with rotating drums 

that shear ore and load it onto a conveyor. 

Mobile hydraulic jacks now reinforce the 

roof and move forward, supporting the roof 

as the ore is removed. 

Surface mining 

Technology improvements for surface 

mines focused on development of new 

and bigger machines, but these machines 

raised new safety issues such as reduced 

visibility. MSHA worked with the industry 

to develop video camera systems, strobe 

lights and other visibility devices to help 

operators see better and avoid smaller 

vehicles and people. 

Maintenance 

As mining machinery got bigger, equipment 

maintenance became more challenging. To 

keep pace, computer-based maintenance systems now detect and report oil pressure, 

bearing and motor temperature; alert operators to abnormal conditions; dispense lubricants as necessary; and shut down equipment before breakdowns or accidents occur. 

Procedural Advances 

New surface mining technology includes 

the “highwall” mining machine, where an 

underground machine is adapted for use 

on the surface. The machine cuts and 

loads coal by penetrating the coal seam 

at a highwall and no employees need to 

go underground. Actual mining is monitored by machine-mounted video cameras 

and observed by operators in an environmental cab. 

Looking Ahead 

As technology meets the demand for 

greater safety and efficiency in the mines, 

MSHA’s challenge is to ensure that safety 

and health is never compromised 

to enhance mine output. MSHA continues 

to promote the next generation of technology to achieve better working conditions 

for the men and women in America’s 

mines. They are the ultimate source of the 

industry’s once and future productivity. 

24. Photo courtesy of Rodney Brown 
Training Day!
 raining Day!

THE NATIONAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACADEMY 

25. 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 
Productivity rates have reached an astonishing average of more than 6 tons per coal ? ? miner per hour, or 48 tons in a single 8-hour day Source: NMA ? 

? ?

?

DID YOU KNOW?

O

ne of the premier training facilities for 

the mining industry and the largest 

educational institution devoted solely to 

safety and health in mining is MSHA’s 

National Mine Health and Safety Academy 

in Beckley,West Virginia. The Academy 

serves as the central training facility for federal 

mine inspectors and mine safety professionals 

from other government agencies, the mining 

industry and labor. Since the academy 

opened in 1976, half a million people have 

taken advantage of its courses on safety and 

inspection procedures, accident prevention, 

investigations, industrial hygiene, mine 

emergency procedures, technology, management techniques, and other topics. 

Besides providing classroom instruction, the 

academy staff produces videotapes, films, 

publications, and a wide variety of technical materials. A simulated mine and laboratories provide more practical experience. 

The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety 

Act of 1969 specified that there was “an 

urgent need to provide more effective 

means and measures for improving the 

working conditions and practices at the 

Nation’s coal mines in order to prevent 

death and serious physical harm, and in 

order to prevent occupational diseases originating in such mines.” 

According to the 1969 Mine Act, “The 

purpose of this Act is to establish health 

and safety standards; to require that all mine 

operators and miners comply with these 

standards; to assist the States in developing 

and enforcing effective coal mine health and 

safety programs; and to expand ... research 

and development and training programs aimed 

at preventing coal mine accidents and occupationally caused diseases in the mining industry. 

It was that last statement of purpose which 

laid the groundwork for the construction of 

the National Mine Health and Safety 

Academy. 

For more than a quarter-century since its 

beginning in rented facilities in a small city 

in the heart of West Virginia’s mining country, the mission of the National Mine Health 

and Safety Academy has been to improve 

health and safety conditions in the mining 

industry through education and training. 

The Academy accomplishes that mission by 

serving as the central training facility for 

federal mine inspectors and safety professionals throughout the mining community. 

The Academy provides classroom and 

hands-on instruction as well as the development and distribution of training materials 

in a variety of formats. 

Mine rescue team competition 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 26. 
U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH YEARS OF SUCCESS 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives

Students receive their training in traditional The Technical Information Center and mine safety professionals from Bulgaria, Academy staff developed and distributed 

and electronic classrooms, specialized labora- Library at the Academy has evolved into a Poland, China, South Africa, Russia and various manuals and guides to the industry 

tories, a mine simulation laboratory, and a world-class collection of mining safety and Peru, among other nations. to help them meet the provisions and 

physical fitness facility. Additional parts of health literature and audiovisual products. requirements of the regulations. 

the Academy include a residence hall and Library stock has expanded dramatically Training at the Academy constantly evolves 

cafeteria. A separate structure was later over the past 25 years. Collections from and is updated to meet the changing needs The Academy staff develops print and elecadded that includes the Mine Simulation the former U.S. Bureau of Mines are now of the mining industry. For example, for tronic health and safety courses and trainLaboratory, where mining conditions can be included in the library listings. Added to nearly two decades, mine operators in the ing materials for use in the classroom and 

simulated for mine rescue training, among this is the continual updating of available sand and gravel, crushed stone and colloidal the field. Many of these materials are 

other training activities. literature on mine safety and health, mak­ phosphate industries were exempted from available in Spanish. The publications and 

ing the Technical Information Center and the MSHA training regulations through a materials address accident trends, regulatory 

Headed by a manager of National Mine Library an ideal location for research. funding clause which prohibited MSHA requirements, inspection procedures, safe 

Academy Operations, the Academy today from enforcing training rules at those sites. work practices, health concerns and other 

employs a staff of about 66 employees and The Library can now be accessed through This exemption affected the training of problem areas. 

delivers training to entry-level mine inspec- MSHA’s Web site at www.msha.gov, mak­ thousands of miners. 

tors, experienced inspectors, technical spe­ ing it available to students and mine safety The Academy’s audiovisual group is 

cialists, supervisory and administrative per- researchers around the world. When the exemption was lifted in 2000, responsible for developing videotapes, slides 

sonnel, industry, labor, and educational insti­ new training rules became effective requir­ and graphics used in publications, posters, 

tutions, and international mining groups. International training also takes place at the ing mandatory training for miners in these and other informative visual displays. 

This training is presented by Academy staff Academy. International training agree- industries. Academy staff was required to 

or by visiting instructors who are experts in ments have been signed with mine safety train inspectors in the new regulations, In 2003, the Academy distributed more than 

their field. The classes are small, emphasize agencies and institutions in Peru, Russia, provide materials for the training effort, five million educational documents, videos, 

hands-on learning, and require that students the People’s Republic of China, India, and and help prepare industry and contract publications or other items on miner safety 

be able to demonstrate and apply what they Ukraine. Training has been conducted for instructors to provide the training. and health to the U.S. mining industry. 

have learned. 

27. 
Robert B. Lagather Ford B. Ford	 David A. Zegeer David C. O’Neal William J. Tattersall J. Davitt McAteer Dave D. Lauriski 

LEADERSHIP ROLL CALL 

ASSISTANT SECRETARIES FOR MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH 1978 TO TO DAY 

The Mine Safety and Health Administration has been well-served by the leadership of the following individuals since its creation in 1978: 

Carter Administration	 George H.W. Bush Administration 

Robert B. Lagather 1978 to 1981	 David C. O’Neal 1989 


William J. Tattersall 1989 to 1993


Reagan Administration 

Clinton Administration Ford B. Ford 1981 to 1983


David A. Zegeer 1983 to 1987 J. Davitt McAteer 1994 to 2000


David C. O’Neal 1988 to 1989


George W. Bush Administration 

Dave D. Lauriski	 2001 to Present 

✯ ✯ ✯ 28. 
U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH 

Alliance Partners Congratulate MSHA


29.

Alliance Partners Congratulate MSHA

U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH 

30.

HENNING MARSTRANDER

. 

. 

KENNETH KISER 

while attempting 

31. 

JOHN FERRELL, 

. 

. 

U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH 

IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

M I N E I N S P E C T O R S W H O G A V E T H E I R L I V E S T O I M P R O V E S A F E T Y F O R O T H E R S 

,a Bureau of Mines inspector, died in a runaway mine car 

accident at a coal mine in Alabama on March 13, 1959

TROY T. WELLS,a MESA coal mine inspector, was accidentally electrocuted during an 

inspection of a coal mine in Kentucky on June 11, 1974

RICHARD M. SAMMONS GROVER TUSSEY 

Fifteen miners died in an explosion on March 9, 1976 at a coal mine in Kentucky, including 

MESA mine inspectors Kenneth Kiser, Richard M. Sammons and Grover Tussey. 

JON C. COOK,a MESA inspector, died on June 1, 1976 in a portabus collision at a 

mine in West Virginia. 

WILLIS D. ISON, MSHA Subdistrict Manager, died on April 4, 1978 

to rescue miners at a coal mine in Virginia. 

ROBERT M. BATES,a coal mine inspector for MSHA, was electrocuted on 

November 30, 1978 while testing high-voltage switch gear at a surface substation. 

EMANUEL R. JONES,a coal mine inspector for MSHA, perished in a mine accident on 

August 20, 1981. 

JOSEPH EVANS, a rescuer for the U.S. Bureau of Mines, died on April 7, 1911 in a fire 

at a colliery in Pennsylvania, which killed 72 other miners. 

a Bureau of Mines rescue car crewmember, died on January 19, 1912 

while exploring an enclosed fire area at a mine in Pennsylvania. 

EDWARD EVANS, a rescuer for the U.S. Bureau of Mines, was killed in 1913 at a mine in 

Wyoming. 

L. M. JONES, a mining engineer for the U.S. Bureau of Mines, died on October 19, 1916 

while conducting rescue operations at a mine in West Virginia. 

JAMES S. CUNNINGHAM, foreman miner for the U.S. Bureau of Mines, was killed in an 

accident at an oil company site in Colorado on August 25, 1919

C.E. SAXON, principal safety instructor for the U.S. Bureau of Mines, died on 

August 19, 1943 from injuries sustained during an explosion at a mine in Alabama. 

WALTER H. MARSH,a Bureau of Mines coal mine inspector, was killed in a cave-in and 

rockslide at a mine in Washington State on July 21, 1945
U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH YEARS OF SUCCESS 

Photo courtesy of MSHA Academy Archives 

THIS IS MSHA


Mission 

An organization dedicated to sending healthy miners home...every shift, every day. 

Vision 

Partners in leading the way to zero fatalities and the end of occupational illness. 

Core Values 

Commitment 

We are committed to protecting the health and safety of miners and our employees. 

Excellence 

We strive for excellence and embrace positive change. The Agency’s success is built upon the 

success of its employees. 

Unity 

We act as one Agency united by our shared vision and core values. 

Integrity 

We require complete honesty and integrity in everything we do. 

Mutual respect 

We respect each other and treat everyone fairly and equitably. 

Trustworthiness 

We make commitments with care and then live up to them. In all things, we do what we say 

we are going to do. 

Efficiency 

We manage our resources responsibly in order to maximize our effectiveness in protecting 

miner safety and health. 32. 
www.msha.gov