Labor Department, Mine Safety and Health Administration
This rule establishes new health standards for underground metal and nonmetal mines that use equipment powered by diesel engines. This rule is designed to reduce the risks to underground metal and nonmetal miners of serious health hazards that are associated with exposure to high concentrations of diesel particulate matter (dpm). DPM is a very small particle in diesel exhaust. Underground miners are exposed to far higher concentrations of this fine particulate than any other group of workers. The best available evidence indicates that such high exposures put these miners at excess risk of a variety of adverse health effects, including lung cancer. The final rule for underground metal and nonmetal mines would establish a concentration limit for dpm, and require mine operators to use engineering and work practice controls to reduce dpm to that limit. Underground metal and nonmetal mine operators would also be required to implement certain "best practice" work controls similar to those already required of underground coal mine operators under MSHA's 1996 diesel equipment rule. These operators would also be required to train miners about the hazards of dpm exposure. By separate notice, MSHA has published a rule to reduce dpm exposures in underground coal mines.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration 30 CFR Part 57 RIN 1219-AB11 AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Labor. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This rule establishes new health standards for underground metal and nonmetal mines that use equipment powered by diesel engines. This rule is designed to reduce the risks to underground metal and nonmetal miners of serious health hazards that are associated with exposure to high concentrations of diesel particulate matter (dpm). DPM is a very small particle in diesel exhaust. Underground miners are exposed to far higher concentrations of this fine particulate than any other group of workers. The best available evidence indicates that such high exposures put these miners at excess risk of a variety of adverse health effects, including lung cancer. The final rule for underground metal and nonmetal mines would establish a concentration limit for dpm, and require mine operators to use engineering and work practice controls to reduce dpm to that limit. Underground metal and nonmetal mine operators would also be required to implement certain “best practice” work controls similar to those already required of underground coal mine operators under MSHA's 1996 diesel equipment rule. These operators would also be required to train miners about the hazards of dpm exposure. By separate notice, MSHA has published a rule to reduce dpm exposures in underground coal mines. DATES: The provisions of the fina…
Citation: 66 FR 5706
