PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Secretary must expand training and education for mine operators, their agents, and miners. The training must teach how to spot, avoid, and stop accidents and unsafe or unhealthy work conditions in coal and other mines. It must also teach how to use flame safety lamps, permitted methane detectors, and other gas-detecting tools the Secretary approves so methane and other explosive gases are found accurately. The Secretary must also give operators technical help, as much as possible, to meet the law’s rules and to improve mine health and safety. The National Mine Health and Safety Academy stays part of the Department of Labor and is in charge of training mine safety inspectors, MSHA technical staff, and other people the Secretary of Labor names. The Academy can make training agreements with schools, states, labor groups, mine owners, and related industries, and must run courses based on the curriculum and instructor assignments requested by the user. The Secretary of the Interior must coordinate mine safety research with the Secretary of Labor, and they may make contracts or other agreements to do that research.

Title 30, §952

Mineral Lands and Mining, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Programs for operators, agents, and miners

The Secretary shall expand programs for the education and training of operators and agents thereof, and miners in— (1)

(2)in the use of flame safety lamps, permissible methane detectors, and other means approved by the Secretary for detecting methane and other explosive gases accurately.

(b)Technical assistance to operators

The Secretary shall, to the greatest extent possible, provide technical assistance to operators in meeting the requirements of this chapter and in further improving the health and safety conditions and practices in coal or other mines.

(c)National Mine Health and Safety Academy

(1)The National Mine Health and Safety Academy shall be maintained as an agency of the Department of Labor. The Academy shall be responsible for the training of mine safety and health inspectors under section 954 of this title, and in training of technical support personnel of the Mine Safety and Health Administration established under section 557a of title 29; and for any other training programs for mine inspectors, mining personnel, or other persons as the Secretary of Labor shall designate. In performing this function, the Academy shall have the authority to enter into cooperative educational and training agreements with educational institutions, State governments, labor organizations, and mine operators and related industries. Such training shall be conducted by the Academy in accordance with curriculum needs and assignment of instructional personnel established by the user.

(2)Repealed. Pub. L. 96–38, title I, § 100, July 25, 1979, 93 Stat. 111.

(3)The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct his safety research responsibilities under section 951 of this title in coordination with the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretaries of Labor and the Interior are authorized to enter into contractual or other agreements for the performance of such safety related research.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 91–173, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 742, known as the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 801 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1979—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 96–38 substituted “Department of Labor” for “Department of the Interior” and “Secretary of Labor” for “Secretaries of Labor and the Interior”. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 96–38 struck out par. (2) which directed that the National Mine Health and Safety Academy use the facilities and personnel of the Department of the Interior and that the Secretary of the Interior appoint or assign to the Academy necessary officers and employees. 1977—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 95–164, § 303(b), inserted references to mines other than coal mines. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95–164, § 303(h), added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1977 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 95–164 effective 120 days after Nov. 9, 1977, except as otherwise provided, see section 307 of Pub. L. 95–164, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.

§952 Training and Education