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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Inspector General report blasts MSHA for pattern of violations inaction

In a report released Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor blasted the Mine Safety and Health Administration's failure to use its "pattern of violations" tool against unsafe mines. The report concluded: "In 32 years, MSHA has never successfully exercised its pattern of violations authority ... Administration of this authority has been hampered by a lack of leadership and priority in the Department across various administrations," Ken Ward Jr. of The Charleston Gazette report on his Coal Tattoo blog.

The report also found MSHA did not monitor the implementation of mine operators’ POV corrective action plans, logic errors caused unreliable results from MSHA’s POV computer application, tests identified no deficiencies in the reliability of data MSHA used for POV screening and delays in testing rock dust samples could cause delays in identifying safety hazards. The report from the Office of the Inspector General recommended "MSHA re-evaluate current POV regulations, seek stakeholders input in developing new, transparent POV criteria, use system development life cycle techniques in creating any new POV related computer applications and re-evaluate the standard for timely completion of laboratory tests." (Read more)

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