Last edited Sat Nov 15, 2014, 01:11 AM - Edit history (1)
Mine Safety and Health Administration gets very little attention and even less funding. It was a little gem of a regulatory agency with real teeth and the experts to back them up when it was created back in 1978. Another one of the wonderful things Jimmy Carter did as president. This agency saved thousands of lives. I do not have any data, but I would imagine the budget for MSHA has taken a terrible beating since the 2000 election. This would be one of those agencies that does absolutely vital work for the protection of mine workers, but has no politician on their side to help them get any funding.
I'll bet that the increase in black lung can be correlated the slashing of their budget, the reductions in inspections and the lack of inspectors for MSHA.
This agency is hated and feared by the mining industry. They have worked every day since its inception to get rid of it. Unfortunately, the people who benefit from the regulations, believe the propaganda from their employers and vote in politicians who work to harm their lives through deregulation.
The black lung issue resurfaced a while back and little was being done politically to help these workers or the agency charged with saving their health and lives. Edit to say that little was done on the resurgence of black lung until the 2009 campaign to end black lung was begun and which was fought tooth and nail by the mine owners.
Here is the link to their home page: http://www.msha.gov/
Here is the link to the NIOSH proposed standard from clear back in 1995. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/95-106/
Here is a link to MSHA's campaign to end black lung page. The campaign started in 2009 (Thanks, Obama). The new respiratory protection rule became effective August 1, 2014.
Never forget that the GOP cares nothing for the health and lives of any worker.