Since I arrived at the Mine Safety and Health Administration, my top priority has been to reduce fatalities, injuries and illnesses in our nation’s mines. Last year at this time, we reported that mining fatality and injury rates were the lowest ever in history. Preliminary data for 2012 show that 36 miners (19 in coal and 17 in metal/nonmetal mining) died in work-related accidents. While one death is still one too many, we are continuing to move mine safety in the right direction with fatality rates for all mining reaching an all-time low for the second straight year. http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/blog