http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills info@washingtonwatch.com http://www.pjdoland.com/chai/?v=0.1 http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_SN_1655.html?rev=11198 <p>S. 1655 would establish improved mandatory standards to protect miners during emergencies.</p> <h2 id="toc0"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>Miner Health and Safety Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act) to require: (1) emergency response plans to incorporate new technology; and (2) the Secretary of Labor to require the installation of rescue chambers in underground coal mines.</p> <p>Amends the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 to repeal provisions concerning standards relating to the sealing of abandoned areas in mines and sets forth provisions concerning: (1) regulating mine seals; (2) regulating the survivability of mine ventilation controls; (3) directing the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to determine whether changes in rock dust requirements are needed; (4) publishing regulations on flame resistance requirements for conveyor belts in use in mines; (5) prohibiting belt haulage entries from being used to ventilate active working places; (6) requiring operators to implement communication programs at their facilities and to install atmospheric monitoring systems; (7) requiring miners who may be working alone to be equipped with multi-gas detectors; (8) requiring operators to use administrative action to protect miners from lightning; and (9) requiring the Secretary to establish a self-contained self-rescuers inspection program and an advisory committee on regulations applicable to underground metal and nonmetal mines.</p> <p>Supplements the Secretary's enforcement authority, including by establishing a Master Inspector program to provide incentives for employees to serve as inspectors. Provides for a fine for a pattern of violations of health or safety standards.</p> <p>Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a central communications emergency call center within the Mine Safety and Health Administration; (2) require mine operators to have an ambulance within a specified area; and (3) review and revise the training and availability requirements for medical emergency technicians.</p> <p>Requires: (1) an operator to notify the Secretary of specified types of accidents and to prevent the destruction of evidence; and (2) regulations concerning mine rescue teams to include specified requirements.</p> <p>Establishes, within the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Labor, the position of Miner Ombudsman, whose duties shall include ensuring that the rights of miners are upheld.</p> <p>Requires the Secretary to: (1) contract with the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board to conduct an independent investigation of an accident upon the request of miners' representatives or families; (2) apply the interim final rule of October 3, 2000, concerning hazard communication in lieu of the final rule of June 21, 2002; and (3) establish an advisory committee to make recommendations on whether the Mine Act should provide for federal licensing of mines and mine personnel.</p> <p>Requires NIOSH to: (1) give priority in its research to technologies that could help miners in an emergency; and (2) forward to the Secretary its Recommended Exposure Limits for miners to chemical and other hazards.</p> <p>Sets forth concentration and exposure limits and sampling and respiratory equipment requirements regarding respirable dust and respirable silica dust in the mine atmosphere.</p> <p>Requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to adopt the asbestos standard for application in the mining industry.</p> <!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc1"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>Latest Major Action: 6/19/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.</p> <!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc2"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc3"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 11198@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_1655.html 6/27/2007: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions. 26764@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_SN_1655.html?rev=1762 <p>S. 1655 would establish improved mandatory standards to protect miners during emergencies.</p> <h2 id="toc4"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)</p> <!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc5"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to update the status of the bill!)</p> <!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc6"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc7"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 1762@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_SN_1655.html?rev=1763 <p>S. 1655 would establish improved mandatory standards to protect miners during emergencies.</p> <h2 id="toc8"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)</p> <!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc9"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>Latest Major Action: 6/19/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.</p> <!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc10"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc11"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 1763@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_1655.html 6/19/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 22522@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT