**GAO-08-424**                      Published: Apr 08, 2008. Publicly Released: Apr 08, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

In 2006, several mining tragedies led the Congress to pass the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act). The law required underground coal mine operators to develop emergency response plans that contain several components designed to improve accident preparedness and response, including providing a refuge of air to miners trapped underground after an accident and wireless communications systems. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is responsible for approving the plans and ensuring their implementation. GAO examined (1) the effectiveness of the approval process, (2) the status of implementation of the plans, and (3) MSHA's efforts to enforce and oversee implementation. To address these questions, GAO reviewed a nonprobability sample of emergency response plans, analyzed MSHA data, and interviewed MSHA officials and members of the mining community.

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## Topics

Employment

Accident preventionCoal miningEmergency managementEmergency preparednessEmergency response plansEmergency response proceduresEmergency response teamsIndustrial safetyMine safetyMining accidentsMining industryOccupational health and safety programsOccupational safetyProgram evaluationProgram managementRisk assessmentRisk factorsRisk managementSafetySafety regulationSafety standardsStrategic planningProgram goals or objectivesProgram implementation