The Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952 is a U.S. law authorizing the federal government to conduct annual inspections of underground coal mines with more than 15 workers, and gave the United States Bureau of Mines the authority to shut down a mine in cases of "imminent danger." The Act authorized the assessment of civil penalties against mine operators for failing to comply with an order to shut down (a "withdrawal order") or for refusing to give inspectors access to mine property. The law did not authorize monetary penalties for noncompliance with the safety provisions. In 1966, Congress extended coverage to all underground coal mines. The Act made ventilation mandatory in mines so as to limit the levels of methane in the air. It also required mine walls to be "dusted" with a limestone to limit the levels of coal dust.

History

Passage of the law responded to a 1951 mine explosion which killed 111 miners in Illinois.Kubiszewski, Ida. 2008
Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952, United States

President Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

signed the law on July 16, 1952. Most regulation of mines was left to the U.S. states, and the Bureau of Mines or MSHA would get involved if either there were a disaster or a state agency request. Legislators apparently said that the federal 1952 law was oriented toward addressing the infrequent disasters in which five or more miners died, not preventing more common causes of deaths in mines.Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952
at crywolfproject.org

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External links

Mine Safety and Health Administration

Mine Safety and Health Administration
in the

Federal Register The ''Federal Register'' (FR or sometimes Fed. Reg.) is the official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains government agency rules, proposed rules, and public notices. It is published every weekday, except on feder ...

Mining Division
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
National Mining Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952 Coal mining law Mine safety Occupational safety and health 1952 in law United States federal health legislation

History

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