Labor Department News Releases Update

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration will convene a meeting of mine industry stakeholders in the wake of a dramatic increase in metal and nonmetal mining deaths. The meeting will address the causes of recent deaths, identify actions needed to prevent them and work to reverse the trend.

As part of its efforts to assure smooth implementation of the new coal mine respirable dust rule, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration is forming a cooperative partnership with coal mine operators and miners. Through this collaboration, MSHA will provide the mining industry with technical assistance on administering the sampling requirements and complying with the rule, as well as a forum where operators can exchange their own best practices and best methods for getting coal dust controls in place.

In the week ending April 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 344,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 329,000 to 330,000. The 4-week moving average was 320,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 316,750 to 317,000.