Mining Industry Requests Review of Proposed MSHA Standards

Mining industry trade groups petitioned a federal court to review proposed changes to asbestos standards by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. The proposed changes were submitted February 29 and the groups filed for review just days before a 60-day limit was set to expire.

The petition filed by the National Mining Association, National Stone, Sand and Gravel Assosciation, and other representative groups requested a formal judicial review to ensure the ruling is within reason. OSHA and MSHA allow anyone who may be adversely affected by a proposed standard to contest its validity through the US Court of Appeals.

The proposed standard calls for a reduction of the permissible asbestos exposure limit from 2.0 fibers per cubic meter of air to 0.1 fibers. The new standard would match current ones set by OSHA and would update the original set nearly 30 years ago.

The plaintiffs filing the petition worry that the language of the standard is ambiguous and would open the door for regulation of non-asbestos particles. The possibility of regulation for other airborne fibers created a long court battle between OSHA and mining companies during the late 1980s when they were considering changing their definition of asbestos fiber.

To receive a FREE Mesothelioma Web information packet** or to make a request, please fill out the following form :

**For a FREE information packet including treatments, clinical trials, and specialists, please complete the form above or call a Mesothelioma Web coordinator at 1-877-367-6376.

News

Resources

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here