Today’s final rules do not reduce protections for miners because they remove requirements that are no longer applicable to the underground mining industry. These changes include removing outdated effective dates, requirements for outdated technology that is no longer used, and duplicative requirements.  

MSHA issued final rules in the following areas:

• Permissible lamps – Removes duplicative requirements for electric cap lamps and other electric lamps in underground coal mines.
• Diesel particulate matter – Eliminates outdated requirements for diesel particulate matter personal exposure limits for underground metal and nonmetal mines.
• Installation of foam generator systems in underground coal mines – Removes requirements that are no longer applicable to underground coal mines.
• Electrical face equipment in coal seams above the water table – Eliminates regulatory requirements because all underground coal mines are treated similarly, regardless of location relative to the water table. 
• Final mining of pillars – Removes regulatory requirements on the subject as the practice of final mining of pillars with one mine opening is no longer used.

Earlier this year, MSHA published four final deregulatory rules related to flame safety lamps, diesel particulate matter in underground coal mines, conveyor belts, and blacksmith shops.

The five final rules will be published in the November 12 edition of the Federal Register. All five final rules are effective 30 days after their publication in the Federal Register.

Read the five deregulatory final rules.