New Rules Require Mine Owners to Find, Fix Hazards

A new safety standard that took effect Monday is aimed at better protecting underground miners from the types of conditions that contributed to a deadly blast at a West Virginia mine in April 2010, according to federal regulators. Mine operators are required to look for and correct hazardous conditions in mines during pre-shift and on-shift examinations, and at other times. The new rule requires them to also look for violations of nine specific health and safety standards, according to a news release from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.