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AFTERWO R D The nation's energy problem has been discussed i n such detai l that everyone h as some fam i l ia rity with it. Solu tions to the pro blem have bee n proposed in great n u m be rs but too often they are not attainable with ou t a l ong-term research , devel· opment, and demonstration effort. In many cases, the time frame for the practical uti l i zation of new fuel concepts is measured i n decades with the tu m of the centu ry as a target date. The ray of l ight in th is dreary pictu re is the nation's abundance of coal re sou rces. Mines in the United States now provi de approximatel y 600 m i l l i on tons of coal each year a nd can continue at that rate for a minimum of 360 years. As the economic i mportance of coal and metal increases, the n ation must strive to better protect the key production e lements - the m i ners, the equi pment, and the supply. Two factors threatening a l l of these e lements are fi re and explosion. Mine fires and expl os ions h ave a great impact in th at the n ation loses a porti o n o f its energy su ppl y. Withi n the immediate commun ity, their afterm ath i s devastati n g. The tragedy o f death can be overwhelm ing, and the closing o f the mines infl icts a severe economic hardshi p on the fam i l ies of the miners who are deprived of the i r normal income. The production requirements of other m ines a re increased and additional empl oyees must be found, which has a significant effect si nce a new miner is 1 0 ti mes more suscept i bl e to injury than a m i ner with a year of experience. Although polymeric materials have not been the m ajor cause of past acci den ts and fata l i ties, they are potential l y sign ificant contri butors. Materials such a s neo prene, polyvinyl chl oride, rayon, and nylon are used i n materi al-convey ing devices and electrica l i nsu l ation. Venti l ation controls requ i re jute , nylon, or polyester com· ponents. Urethane foams are appl ied on roofs, ri bs, and stoppings. The control of pol ymeric material usage in m i nes is rooted i n the legislation that covers th is facet of safety as well as all others. After experiencing over 1 0,000 m i ner fata lities between 1 8 1 0 and 1 91 0, the Organic Act was passed in 1 9 1 0 and created the Bureau of M i nes, pri ma rily as an advisor to industry. One of its fun c tion, however, was to be to determine how to prevent fi res and explosi ons. Public Law 49 of 1 94 1 permitted federal officials to enter m ines but on l y in an advisory capacity. The Federal Coal M i ne Act of 1 952 provi ded for enforcement of m anda tory regu l ations. Coa l is only one product of the min ing industry, and the mining of other materi als was regu l ated in the Federal Metal and Non meta l l ic M i ne Safety Act of 1 966. The Secretary of the I nterior was given auth ority to promu l gate and enforce standards concern i ng the ty pes of mate rial that cou l d be brought into a m ine. Th is bi l l , fo l l owed shortl y by the Federal Coal M i ne Health and Safety Act of 1 969, 1 28
A FTERWO R D recogn i zed a n urgent need t o provide m ore effective means for i mproving coal m i n i ng techn iques in order "to prevent death and seri ou s harm . . . " and provided for promulgation and enforcement of mandatory safety and health standards. I n addition, the Act cited, a s one pu rpose, cooperation with the states in enforcement, research, and devel opment. On May 7, 1 973, the Secretary of the I nterior issued Secreta rial Order No. 2953, whi ch establ ished the Min ing Enforce ment and Safety Adm inistrati on ( M ESA ) . Essenti a l l y, this order separated from the B u re a u of M i nes the responsi bi l ity for adm in istration of the Fede ral Metal and Nonmetal l ic M i ne Safety Act of 1 966 and, exce pt for certain research provision s, the Federal Coal M i ne Health and Safety Act of 1 969. The Federal M i ne Safety and Health Amendments Act of 1 977, which became effective March 9, 1 978, repealed the Act of 1 966, Section 405 of the Act of 1 973, changed the name of M ESA to the M i ne Safety and Health Adm inistrati on ( MSHA), and transferred the unit from the Department of I nteri or to the De part· ment of Labor. M SHA, wi th about 3,400 employees, has as its pri mary goal the protection of the 400,000 people employed in the U. S. min ing industry th rough enforcement, engi neeri n g, and educati on. The most form idable enforcement tool at its d isposal is the closu re order ( i .e., if any poly meric material proh i bited unde r regu l ation is present i n a mine i n quantity sufficient to create a condition of i m m i nent danger, a MSHA inspector can issue a cl osu re order halti n g a l l mining activity and with· drawing the min ers unti l the condition is corrected). Augmenti ng the efforts of federa l and state regu l atory agencies, th e U nited M i ne Workers of America ( U MWA) attem pts to e l i m i nate the causes of acci dents, fires, and ex plosions. The UMWA's Safety D ivision has i ncreased its visi bi l ity and effec tive ness in recent years. Followi ng a reorgani zation in the spri ng of 1 976, 49 ful l-ti m e staff members were operating under the I ntern ational Execu tive Board, with provision for an additional two. Of these , 40 are inspectors who are to spend 4 days each week carrying out inspection responsi bi l ities. Previous difficu l ties experienced by U MWA i nspectors h ave been e l i m inated by i ncl usion of the Safety Division fu nction i n a l l the contracts, guarantee ing the right of access to any m i ne when re quested by the Local Union M i ne Health and Safety Com mittee. These ins pectors are in communicati on with the state an d federal regu l atory agencies and can, in the event of any violation involving pol ym eric materials, request thei r intervention to resolve the problem. They also investigate and report on a l l fatal accidents, fires, and ex pl osions i nvolv ing UMWA mem bers. 1 29
