Safety and Health Regulatory Changes and Technology Developments 

 in U.S. Coal Mining 

R. Güner Gürtunca, Director 

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, NIOSH 

P.O. Box 18070, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 

cei4@cdc.gov 

The US mining industry has been affected greatly by recent coal mining disasters which have 

resulted in new legislation that will have an impact on mining economic costs as well safety and 

health of miners. This paper discusses changes that new legislation and regulations are making 

to the industry, and current research that is producing technologies to make mining safer. 

INTRODUCTION 

American coal production in 2007 was 1,147 million short tons. Most of this coal is consumed 

domestically, with annual exports of coal about 50 million tons. One third of annual production 

is produced at surface mines and the rest from underground mines. This coal is produced by 

about 82,000 miners working at 1,400 coal mines. 

Major improvements in coal mine safety have been made in the US since the Federal Mine 

Safety and Health Act of 1977. The fatal injury rate in underground coal mines between 1977 

and 2004 was reduced by 47.8% to 0.036. The annual number of fatalities dropped from 112 to 

14 during that period. Likewise, the non-fatal days-lost injury rate was reduced by 42.6% from 

10.87 to 6.24. However, during the past three years a number of coal mining disasters have 

occurred that have had major impact on mining in the United States. 

The recent major mine incidents began in 2006 with an explosion on January 2 at the Sago mine 

in West Virginia which killed 12 miners. A fire at the Aracoma Alma No. 1 Mine in West 

Virginia on January 19 caused 2 fatalities. On May 20, 2006 there was an explosion at the Darby 

No. 1 Mine in Kentucky which resulted in 5 more deaths. On August 6, 2007 six miners were 

killed by a coal outburst when pillars failed and violently ejected coal over a large area. Ten days 

later, two mine employees and a federal mine inspector were killed in a coal outburst during 

rescue efforts. The number of fatalities in US coal mines in 2004 was 28 and dropped to 23 in 

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2005. Primarily as a result of the above disasters, the fatalities increased to 47 in 2006 and 47 in 

2007. This downward trend continued in 2008 when 30 fatalities were recorded. 

MINER Act 

These major mine accidents caused great public concern and led the US Congress to pass the 

Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act) on May 24, 2006. 

The coal mining disasters and the MINER Act have had very significant effects on the coal 

mining industry in the US. Some of the major provisions of the MINER Act include: 

 Required wireless two-way communications and an electronic tracking system within 

three years, permitting those on the surface to locate persons trapped underground; 

 Required each mine to have available two experienced rescue teams capable of a one 

hour overland travel response time; 

 Required new safety standards relating to the sealing of abandoned areas in underground 

coal mines, increasing the requirements for strength of the seals; 

 Established a competitive grant program for new mine safety technology to be 

administered by NIOSH; 

 Established a Technical Study Panel for Belt Air to investigate the use of air from 

conveyer belt mine entries to ventilate the mine face; 

 Established a permanent Office of Mine Safety & Health in NIOSH, which helps ensure a 

viable and long-term focus on mining safety and health. 

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has responsibility in the U.S. for 

promulgation and enforcement of Federal mine safety regulations. The MINER Act required 

MSHA to act on new regulations and set up deadlines by which some of the new regulations 

were to be finalized. 

NIOSH MINING RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TO MINER ACT 

NIOSH does research to improve occupational safety and health for all workers including 

miners. NIOSH assumed the sole Federal responsibility for research on mine safety after the 

closure of the US Bureau of Mines in 1996. NIOSH inherited from the Bureau of Mines the 

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mining research laboratories in Pittsburgh, PA and Spokane, WA. The NIOSH mining program 

currently has about 245 employees and a budget for 2008 of $39 million. 

The current NIOSH mining program is aimed toward seven major strategic goals. These are: 

1. Reduce respiratory diseases in miners associated with coal worker pneumoconiosis, 

silicosis, and diesel emissions; 

2. Reduce noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL); 

3. Reduce repetitive/cumulative musculoskeletal injuries; 

4. Reduce traumatic injuries; 

5. Reduce the risk of mine disasters (fires, explosions, and inundations) and enhance the 

safety and effectiveness of, emergency responders; 

6. Reduce ground failure fatalities and injuries; 

7. Determine the impact of changing mining conditions, new and emerging technologies, 

training, and the changing patterns of work. 

The intramural research done by NIOSH related to prevention and response to mine fires and 

explosions is directed toward strategic goal number 5 above. This research is done primarily at 

the NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL). The NIOSH strategy in this area is in order 

of priority: prevention, escape, and rescue. Our research is designed first at preventing 

explosions or fires that could endanger the lives of miners, second at technology to allow miners 

to escape if a serious incident occurs, and third at technology that would facilitate the rescue of 

miners who might be trapped underground. 

Many of the research projects at PRL have direct relevance to preventing fatalities from the types 

of mining accidents that occurred in 2006 and 2007. Some of these projects will be described 

next, as well as a few other projects that are likely to have significant impact on American 

mining in the future. 

Mine explosion prevention 

Research is being done on explosion propagation and explosion combustion mechanisms through 

full-scale tests at the Lake Lynn Experimental Mine (LLEM) and through laboratory tests. The 

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LLEM research includes flame propagation in large volumes of non-uniformly mixed methane, 

the effects of non-uniform zones of coal and rock dust along an entry, and the effects of coal dust 

on the ribs/roof compared to floor dust. Researchers also study the amount of rock dust 

necessary to inert typical mine size dust for both high and low volatile coals. Basic research on 

the explosion mechanisms and flame propagation attempts to reach a more fundamental 

understanding of mine explosions. NIOSH and MSHA conducted joint research to evaluate 

explosion blast effects on mine ventilation stoppings at the LLEM. After mine explosion 

accidents, MSHA conducts investigations to determine the causes as a means to mitigate or 

eliminate future occurrences. As part of these post-explosion investigations, the condition of 

underground stoppings, including the debris from damaged stoppings, is documented as evidence 

of the strength and direction of the explosion forces (see Figure 1). 

Figure 1. Ventilation stopping partially destroyed by explosion pressure

4

 These results assist 

investigators in determining the explosion forces that destroy or damage stoppings during actual 

coal mine explosions. [Weiss et al, 2006] 
Coal dust explosibility meter 

The Coal Dust Explosibility Meter (CDEM), shown in figure 2, is the first device that provides 

an immediate capability for determining if coal dust concentrations in active areas of 

underground coal mines have been sufficiently mixed with rock dust to reduce the risk of 

explosion propagation. 

Figure 2. Coal Dust Exposibility Meter (CDEM) 

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 This meter will quickly determine the explosibility and the 

incombustible content of coal and rock dust mixtures in coal mines, thereby improving sample 

analysis and rock dusting practices. The CDEM measures the explosibility of a coal and rock 

dust mixture by an optical reflectance method. Since rock dust is white and coal dust is black, 

the intensity of the reflected light depends on the concentration of rock dust in the mixture. The 

CDEM, when calibrated with actual mine dust mixtures, can be used to determine the 

approximate percentage of rock dust in the coal and rock dust mixture. PRL developed the 

theory and technology behind the device, and a prototype was developed in collaboration with 

the Geneva College Center for Technology Development. NIOSH and partners received the 

prestigious R&D 100 Award for the PRL-developed meter. 
In a recent study, NIOSH personnel accompanied MSHA inspectors on their routine surveys in 

underground coal mines. While underground, NIOSH personnel and MSHA inspectors used the 

CDEM to assess the explosibilities of the dust samples. The values of percent incombustible 

content (% IC) determined by the CDEM agreed well with those obtained later by low 

temperature ashing (LTA) in both MSHA and NIOSH laboratories. Further, the meter identified 

some samples as potentially explosible that LTA analysis had found to possess sufficient rock 

dust for inerting. The CDEM provides more information on the hazards in the mine. Rapid 

identification of areas with explosible dust mixtures using the CDEM allows for immediate 

intervention rather than a wait of several weeks for laboratory analysis. [Harris et al, 2008] 

Fine coal dust 

There are several explosion hazard scenarios that are not sufficiently understood and that are 

believed to have been contributing factors to the recent mine explosions. Of specific interest is 

the combustion of large volumes of non-uniformly mixed methane, which may present a 

different risk than the typical face ignition. Another important question is whether the 65% rock 

dusting requirement for mine intakes is still sufficient to inert the coal dust, since the regulation 

was based on the average size of coal dust found in mine intakes during the 1920's. Recent 

analyses of mine dust samples have shown that the coal dust in many mine intakes is 

significantly finer in size than the regulations assume. The size of the coal dust is relevant to the 

amount of rock dust required to inert the coal dust, with more rock dust needed to inert finer 

sizes of coal dust. Dust samples were collected by MSHA inspectors from underground coal 

mines throughout the U.S. Samples were normally collected in several intakes at each mine. The 

laboratory analysis procedures included acid leaching of the sample to remove the limestone 

rock dust, sonic sieving to determine the dust size, and low temperature ashing of the sieved 

fractions to correct for any remaining incombustible matter. The results indicate that particle 

sizes of mine coal dust in intake airways are finer than those measured in the 1920s. [Sapko, 

Cashdollar and Green, 2006] 

Improving methane control practices in coal mines 

The goal of the methane control research is to identify and model methane emissions in coal 

mines to improve the effectiveness of methane control technology, and reduce the explosion 

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hazard for underground miners. Although longwall mining productivity can far exceed that of 

room-and-pillar mining, the total methane emissions per extracted volume associated with 

longwall sections are generally higher than those for continuous miner or pillar removal sections. 

Increased face advance rates, increased productivities, increased panel sizes, and generally 

deeper workings have challenged existing designs for controlling methane on longwalls. NIOSH 

examined a number of practices designed to maintain concentrations in mine air within statutory 

limits and consistently below the lower explosive limit. In a recent report, several practical 

guidelines are recommended for controlling longwall coalbed methane. All predictions are based 

on determinations made for the Pittsburgh coalbed in southwestern Pennsylvania. [Schatzel et al, 

2008] 

Improving underground coal mine sealing strategies 

Since 1986, 12 known explosions have occurred within the sealed areas of active U.S. 

underground coal mines. Most of these explosions destroyed the seals, which are structures built 

to isolate abandoned mining areas from the active workings. Recent explosions in the U.S. 

underground coal mining industry suggest that previously accepted seal construction and design 

methodologies are inadequate. The new MSHA standard “Rules and Regulations Sealing of 

Abandoned Areas – Final Rule” [Federal Register, 2008] has raised the explosion pressure 

design criteria for seals from the old standard of 20 psi to 50 psi or 120 psi depending on whether 

or not the mining company chooses to monitor and maintain the sealed area atmosphere inert. 

This new standard is based in part on the recently published NIOSH report on “Explosion 

Pressure Design Criteria for New Seals in U.S. Coal Mines” [Zipf, Sapko and Brune, 2007] that 

developed the scientific basis for these new seal standards based on the explosion pressures that 

could develop. The mining community needs engineering guidelines immediately to better meet 

the new MSHA regulatory requirements for sealing abandoned areas of coal mines. NIOSH 

initiated a new seals research project which seeks to eliminate disasters from gas explosions 

within sealed areas of coal mines through improved engineering of the complete sealing process 

and better education of the mining workforce. Attaining this outcome requires research efforts to 

1) Develop fundamental scientific understanding of explosive mixture accumulation and 

explosion pressures developed by gas and dust explosions within sealed areas of coal mines. 

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2) Develop engineering procedures for sealing abandoned areas of coal mines including 

structural design of seals and ventilation planning before and after sealing. 

3) Develop management systems to control methane accumulation within sealed areas 

including monitoring procedures and self- and artificial inertization methods. 

4) Conduct technology transfer to educate the mining community about the potential dangers 

posed by sealed areas and measures to eliminate it. 

NIOSH researchers aim to provide engineering guidelines for meeting all aspects of the new 

MSHA regulations. The new guidelines should provide multiple solutions for sealing that go 

beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach. In developing proper engineering design codes for seals 

and sealed areas, the authors advocate seal designs to resist pressure-time curves that are based 

on an understanding of the risk involved and not just a simple worst-case analysis. 

Mine escape and rescue 

A systematic miner escape and safe rescue strategy is necessary when mine accidents such as 

fires or explosions occur and lives are in danger. NIOSH is investigating how to help miners be 

capable of timely self-rescue under adverse conditions, first responders and mine rescue teams be 

capable of rapid, state-of-the-art safe rescue, and management organizations that can effectively 

support these goals. (Figure 3) 

Figure 3. Mine Rescue Team in Training 

A NIOSH numbered publication “Research Report on Strategies for Escape and Rescue from 

Underground Coal Mines” is being prepared that will include the research findings, key issues 

and recommend successful practices in escape and rescue for the US. Researchers have obtained 

8
information on escape and rescue practices in several of the major international coal mining 

areas including Australia, South Africa, Ukraine/Russia/Poland and China. Key issues and 

successful practices in escape, rescue and incident command were identified from a review of 

literature from both mining and non-mining sources and in collaboration with stakeholders in the 

US during regional workshops and interviews. The guidelines summarize strategies for safe and 

systematic response to underground coal mine fire and explosion incidents. Key actions that 

warrant significant emphasis and commitment of resources necessary to achieve competent mine 

emergency response capability are training competency, command center professionalism, 

universal access to facilities, working communications, integrated escape and rescue systems, 

and human behavior services. 

Refuge chambers 

Refuge chambers are one option for safety protection in the event of explosions or fires. In the 

United States, the use of refuge chambers in coal mines has generated debate. While refuge 

chambers can save lives, it is also argued that they may cause miners to seek refuge rather than 

attempt to escape their hazardous situation. There are a number of considerations involved with 

this approach, including the capabilities of stations, the type and location of structures, design 

criteria, and maintenance and training issues. Section 13 of the MINER Act required NIOSH to 

conduct "research, including field tests, concerning the utility, practicality, survivability, and cost 

of various refuge alternatives in an underground coal mine environment, including commercially 

available portable refuge chambers." The NIOSH report on this work summarizes the findings of 

such research, focusing on specific information that could inform the regulatory process on 

refuge alternatives [NIOSH, 2007]. Further, gaps in knowledge and technology that should be 

addressed to help realize the full potential of refuge alternatives were also identified. The report 

concluded that the refuge alternatives have the potential for saving lives of miners if part of a 

comprehensive escape and rescue plan, and if appropriate training is provided. Two viable 

refuge alternatives are in-place shelters and portable chambers that are inflatable or rigid. Inplace shelters provide superior refuge environment and may possibly be connected to the surface 

by borehole. However it would not be possible to keep them within 1000-2000 feet of the face, 

and extended distances would have to be allowed for them to be used. NIOSH testing found 

operational deficiencies in some commercially available portable chambers that could delay their 

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deployment in mines. With NIOSH’s assistance, the chamber manufacturers were able to correct 

many of the identified deficiencies. Testing and certification of both refuge chambers and inplace shelters would be needed. While additional development is needed, the benefits of these 

refuge alternatives merit their deployment in underground coal mines. 

The 2006 MINER Act directed MSHA to consider rulemaking on refuge chambers. However, 

Congress subsequently mandated action in language included in the 2008 appropriations bill. 

MSHA has proposed a regulation for three types of acceptable refuge alternatives: pre-fabricated 

self-contained units, a secure space that is constructed in place, or materials pre-positioned for 

miners to use to construct a secure space. The Agency issued the final rule on December 31, 

2008. PRL has also begun a new project that will result in training materials and guidelines to 

help ensure that miners receive adequate training, especially expectations training, on this 

important topic. 

Emergency communication and tracking 

Mine tragedies over the past few years have underscored the need for reliable two-way 

communications between underground miners and rescuers located on the surface. At that time, 

no system demonstrated the most basic requirements for emergency communications. However, 

there was considerable optimism that one or more two-way voice communication system 

prototypes could be further developed and brought to a commercialization phase within a few 

years. Towards that end, and to fulfill the requirements of the MINER Act of 2006, NIOSH 

sponsored several research contract initiatives to develop and demonstrate two-way 

communications systems. 

To address the requirements of the MINER Act in a timely and cost-effective manner, the 

primary activity was the awarding of competitive contracts to develop and test several promising 

communications and tracking technologies. Three of the communication systems developments 

are briefly described in the paper. 

Survivable leaky feeder mine communication system 

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Under the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations that accompanied the MINER Act of 2006, 

a contract was awarded to Pillar Innovations to design, develop and demonstrate a survivable 

wireless leaky feeder communications distribution system capable of maintaining mine wide 

operational integrity after an emergency situation such as a mine fire, roof fall, or explosion. 

Survivability consists of two principle aspects, hardening and redundancy. Hardening involves 

measures taken to improve the ability of the system to continue to perform after mine incidents, 

and includes hardening of the cable and other components that are part of the communication 

system. Redundancy allows the system as a whole to remain operational even if a section of 

cable is damaged by an event. 

An extensive in-mine test program was completed involving both hardening and redundancy 

techniques. Based on the results of these tests, a system design was developed that takes 

advantage of the best approaches for hardening and redundancy in providing a survivable leaky 

feeder system. The design uses a multiple base station loop-around approach, where if the leaky 

feeder cable breaks, the system reverses transmissions of communications to allow 

communications with the surface from both sides of the break. Base stations on the surface at 

different mine shaft locations are connected via a surface fiber optic link to allow the reversing 

(Figure 4).

Primary Base Station Secondary Base 

Station

Fiber Optic Link

Cable Break

Portal Shaft 1 Mine Shaft 2

Leaky Feeder Cable

Leaky Feeder Using Redundant Loop

Surface

Figure 4. Survivable Leaky Feeder Mine Communication System 

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 The design also uses antennas and low-cost cables to provide communication 

coverage in additional mine passageways and other mine locations where miners may work, and 

independent redundant trunks inby the last opening to the surface. 
The system design described above has been implemented at Consol Energy Loveridge Mine, a 

large, complex underground coal mine, for long-term system test and evaluation. 

This system represents one important building block that mines can use to comply with the 

MINER Act, and importantly, this system can be upgraded in the future to take advantage of 

newer technologies for improved functionality. 

Wireless mesh communication and tracking system 

NIOSH has contracted with L3 Communications to develop a wireless mesh communication and 

tracking system, and to deploy the system in a cooperating mine in West Virginia. The NIOSH 

contract includes development of a new digital radio handset. The L3 wireless mesh network is 

a communications network made up of radio nodes that routes radio signals from the miner’s 

handset to the intended destination, either on the surface or to other handsets within the mine. 

The node locations are fixed and known to the network, allowing miner handset locating features 

to be easily integrated into the system (Figure 5). 

Wireless Mesh Comm/Tracking Concept

Figure 5. Wireless Mesh Communication and Tracking System 

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A mesh network is reliable and offers redundancy. When one node can no longer operate, the 

rest of the nodes can still communicate with each other, directly or through one or more 

intermediate nodes. The L3 system is designed to operate with an existing leaky feeder system 

installed in this mine, adding even more redundancy to the system. A handset can act as a 

repeater for another handset that may not be within range of a node. Backup batteries allow 

operation after mine power is shut off in emergencies. 

A fully functioning pilot system is installed in the Wolf Run Mining Company’s Sentinel Mine. 

An industry demonstration was conducted in November 2008. L3 has a mine safety web site at 

http://www.gses.l-3com.com/mine_safety/

Kutta medium frequency system 

Through an Interagency Agreement (IAA) with the US Army, NIOSH has sponsored a 

modification to the development of a medium frequency system for use in underground coal 

mines. Medium frequency systems have an enormous potential as an emergency 

communications systems in a post disaster scenario. The radios have been demonstrated to have 

a range of over two miles through “parasitic propagation”. This is a characteristic of the radio 

energy that allows the energy to couple on to metallic structures in the mine, and be received 

anywhere along the path of the structure as shown in Figure 6. 

Figure 6. Kutta Medium Frequency System 

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The advantages of the medium frequency systems are several. Active radio elements (repeaters) 

can be spaced a mile or more apart, which means far less active elements are required in the 

mine than with leaky feeder or mesh systems; which in turn means that less vulnerable 

infrastructure is required. Secondly, the radio propagation paths can be highly survivable, and 

do not require power. Power lines for instance may be highly damaged, but could still support 

medium frequency communications. Additionally, recent NIOSH tests have shown that a wire 

core life line or even a buried wire conductor provides an excellent propagation path with no 

observable degradation of the radio signal due to the wire being buried. Lastly, the medium 

frequency system is being designed to be interoperable with existing MSHA-approved 

UHF/VHF handsets that are used with leaky feeder systems; this will provide substantial 

flexibility in designing a practical cost effective system. Interoperability with future systems 

such as wireless mesh systems and through the earth systems will be considered as these 

products become available in the market place. 

Initial pre-production models of the analog point to point medium frequency products are 

available, and the delivery of the digital multi-hop products is expected in the near future. The 

system design has been submitted to MSHA for approval. 

A NIOSH sponsored workshop on emergency communication and tracking was conducted in 

May 2009. This workshop included relevant results to date to aid mining companies in selecting 

and deploying systems best suited for their particular mine to meet MINER Act requirements. 

Analysis of belt air ventilation in coal mines 

In 2004 MSHA promulgated the final rule on belt air that allows the use of belt entry air in the 

working sections in most mines. Last year as many as 157 underground coal mines in the U.S. 

were using belt air. However, tragedies such as the Alma Mine No. 1 fire in 2006 have raised 

questions about the safety of mine ventilation systems that use belt entry air. In the MINER Act 

of 2006, Congress required the establishment of a Technical Study Panel on the Utilization of 

Belt Air and the Composition and Fire Retardant Properties of Belt Materials in Underground 

Coal Mines. The Panel was charged with providing “independent scientific and engineering 

review and recommendations with respect to the utilization of belt air and the composition and 

14
fire retardant properties of belt materials in underground coal mining.” The panel completed its 

report in December 2007 [Mutmansky et al, 2007]. As indicated by the MINER Act, MSHA 

proposed a new regulation on belt air in June 2008. One of the panel recommendations specifies 

that research is needed to reduce air leakage through stoppings placed between belt and intake 

entries. 

NIOSH has initiated a new research project to identify potential safety hazards associated with 

the use of belt entry air and develop engineering controls for reducing leakage through stoppings. 

The goal is to develop ventilation techniques that will improve miner safety if a fire occurs in the 

belt entry. The outcomes of the project will be a better understanding of leakage between 

entries, the benefits and disadvantages of booster fans in intake escapeways, and a more 

thorough knowledge of ventilation scenarios with computer modeling and general guidelines for 

using belt air. Results of the project are to provide information concerning these issues as a 

response to the research suggestions of the Technical Study Panel and to enable re-evaluation of 

the current regulations concerning safety of using belt air for ventilation. The results also will 

be used to develop guidelines that will help mine operators using belt air to reduce the leakage 

into the intake escapeway in case of a mine fire event and guidelines that will be helpful for 

monitoring air quality in belt airways to prevent hazardous situations in the belt entry. 

Reducing hazards of conveyor belt fires in underground coal mines 

The Technical Study Panel also recommended studies on fire-resistant and fireproof belt 

materials, belt fire suppression systems, atmospheric monitoring systems, and escapeway 

integrity to improve miner safety. While much progress has been made toward the prevention 

and control of fires in the mining industry, work is needed to evaluate new technologies and 

methods to implement the panel recommendations on conveyor belt fire prevention. NIOSH has 

begun another new research project to reduce the hazards of underground coal mine fires, 

particularly in conveyor belt entries, by applying recent advances in the areas of fire-resistant 

and fireproof belt materials, belt fire suppression systems, atmospheric monitoring systems, and 

computer codes for predicting and assessing in real-time the impact of fire on the mine 

ventilation system. The project will address the major issues concerning fires in underground 

coal mines; flammability of conveyor belts, detection, suppression systems, fire modeling of 

15
conveyor belts, fire modeling of contaminant spread, and training and maintenance. It is 

expected that the research output from this proposed project will substantially reduce the number 

of fires and injuries due to fire and significantly improve the level of fire safety in mines. 

Protecting miners during retreat coal mining of pillars 

The recent disaster at the Crandall Canyon, which was caused by catastrophic coal outburst 

during pillar recovery, has focused attention on coal mine ground control. Many questions are 

being asked about pillar design, bump prevention, and the safety of retreat mining. These issues 

are central to the protection of every underground mineworker. As a result of Congressional 

mandate, NIOSH initiated a new project to enhance the safety of miners working in underground 

coal mines where retreat mining in room and pillar operations is utilized, particularly at depths 

greater than 1500 feet. The project will review the available NIOSH technology, update and 

improve it as necessary, and transfer the results to the mining community. Specific activities 

will include updates to the NIOSH software packages that are currently used for pillar design, the 

development of bump prevention guidelines, an expansion of the NIOSH case history data bases 

of bumps and pillar performance, and an intensive technology transfer effort. The project will be 

conducted in close cooperation with MSHA, university research partners, and the mining 

industry. Congress has requested a final report on this work no later than December 2009. 

Respirable dust control 

Dust compliance sampling data shows that elevated coal and silica dust exposures continue to 

occur for high-risk occupations in the coal and metal/nonmetal mining industries. In addition, 

recent x-ray surveillance data reported by NIOSH has illustrated an increased CWP prevalence 

in coal miners employed in the southern Appalachian region of the U.S. mining industry. In 

response, PRL is conducting a project entitled “State-of-the-Art Technology for Controlling Coal 

and Silica Dust in Mining”. This project has identified state-of-the-art dust control technologies 

for various mining methods (e.g., longwall, continuous miner, surface) and is preparing “best 

practices” documents that summarize these controls. These documents are being prepared as two 

Information Circulars for distribution throughout the coal and metal/nonmetal mining industries. 

In addition, this information will be placed on the mining website and burned onto compact discs 

to facilitate use by our stakeholders. The information will also be formatted for presentation at 

16
multiple dust control workshops to further assist in transferring this information to the industry. 

To date, a workshop focused upon dust controls for coal mining is being planned for November, 

while a workshop focused upon the underground stone industry is planned for December. 

The personal dust monitor (PDM) was developed by NIOSH as a sampler that provides real-time 

measurement of the respirable dust exposure of the wearer. The wearer can use this information 

to change dust controls or mining practices in order to prevent dust overexposures. The PDM is 

combined with the miner’s cap lamp unit and can be worn on a daily basis to provide increased 

monitoring of worker dust exposures. NIOSH is developing a software program to assist the 

mine operators with the compilation and analysis of data files generated by the PDM. MSHA is 

completing changes to the Code of Federal Regulations to allow for the use of the PDM as a 

potential sampler for compliance purposes. Also, Thermo Scientific has begun selling the PDM 

to the mining industry and has sold approximately 100 units to date. 

CONCLUSION 

The US mining industry is in a state of flux following the coal mining disasters that occurred in 

2006 and 2007 and the resulting changes in legislation and regulations. Additional changes in 

mining health and safety regulations are likely in the next few years. The exact nature of these 

changes is very uncertain at this time. In any case the mining industry is expected to grow and 

research needs that have been discussed in this paper will have to be addressed by NIOSH and 

others in the next few years. 

 

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Harris, M L, Sapko, M J, Cashdollar, K L and Verakis, H C, 2008. Field evaluation of the coal 

dust explosibility meter (CDEM). SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 24-27, Salt Lake 

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Inc., 2008:1-5. 

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Mutmansky, J M, Brune, J F, Calizaya, F, Mucho, T P, Tien, J C and Weeks J L, 2007. Final 

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