Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

hatrack

(59,436 posts)
Wed Nov 25, 2020, 09:06 AM Nov 2020

MSHA Inspector General: Silica Dust Standard Outdated; Shitstain's Chief Hack Does Not Care

A group of Ohio Valley senators says a watchdog agency’s recent report shows that federal regulators must do more to protect coal miners from silica dust, an especially toxic form of dust created when mining equipment cuts into rock layers near coal seams.

In a Monday morning press release, six Democratic senators, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, called the findings in last week’s Inspector General’s report “extremely troubling,” saying the Mine Safety and Health Administration knew what it needed to do to lower miners’ exposure to deadly silica dust.

The senators’ pressure comes after the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General found that MSHA’s standards for exposure to deadly silica dust were out of date, and that the mine safety agency’s sampling methods were too infrequent to guarantee that miners were protected.

“We are asking that you take immediate action to implement the recommendations contained in the OIG report,” the senators wrote in a jointly issued letter addressed to MSHA head David Zatezelo. “We further ask that you provide us with a thorough description of the measures currently being conducted by the agency to ensure that our brave and patriotic coal miners are shielded from excess exposure to silica dust on the job site.” Zatezelo, a former mining executive, has been slow to act on a separate standard for silica exposure, and, in a response to the Inspector General’s report included in its appendix, said he could not agree with two of the IG’s three recommendations for improvements.

EDIT

https://ohiovalleyresource.org/2020/11/23/lawmakers-union-urge-mine-safety-regulators-to-act-on-silica-dust/

3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
MSHA Inspector General: Silica Dust Standard Outdated; Shitstain's Chief Hack Does Not Care (Original Post) hatrack Nov 2020 OP
You notice this in the Ohio valley and Rob Portman is nowhere around d. blueinredohio Nov 2020 #1
Yep "Six Democratic senators . . . " hatrack Nov 2020 #2
must have mis-understood.......... MyOwnPeace Nov 2020 #3

MyOwnPeace

(16,887 posts)
3. must have mis-understood..........
Wed Nov 25, 2020, 09:46 AM
Nov 2020

West Virginia's Joe Manchin was there? He's complaining about government standards?

That "man" - that DINO - is the same one who has championed every legislative act to lessen evironmental regulations designed to PROTECT those very workers!

He must have thought it was going to be another TRUMP rally.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»MSHA Inspector General: ...