MSHA Bulletins Detail Miners’ Rights to Seek Mine Inspections, Not Face Discrimination

The Labor Department’s Mine Safety and Health Administration Sept. 2 issued two program information bulletins explaining the rights of miners to ask for inspections of hazardous mines and to be protected from discrimination for exercising their rights.

MSHA said it issued the bulletins because relatives of miners who died in the April 5 Upper Big Branch mine explosion had testified before the House Education and Labor Committee that the mine operator retaliated against miners who expressed concern about safety and health issues and that the Upper Big Branch miners were unable to refuse to work in an area that they ...