[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 201 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 55500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22497]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

30 CFR Parts 56 and 57

[Docket No. MSHA-2014-0030]
RIN 1219-AB92


Examinations of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notification of public stakeholder meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is announcing 
the dates and locations of public stakeholder meetings on the Agency's 
standards for Examinations of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal 
Mines.

DATES: The meeting dates and locations are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

ADDRESSES: Federal Register Publications: Access rulemaking documents 
electronically at http://www.msha.gov/regsinfo.htm or http://www.regulations.gov [Docket Number: MSHA-2014-0030].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila A. McConnell, Director, Office 
of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, MSHA, at 
[email protected] (email), 202-693-9440 (voice), or 202-693-
9441 (fax). These are not toll-free numbers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Stakeholder Meetings

    MSHA will hold five public stakeholder meetings to inform the 
mining community of the requirements of the Examinations of Working 
Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines final rule, which was effective 
September 30, 2019. At the meetings, MSHA will provide training and 
compliance assistance materials to attendees. Most of the public 
meetings will begin at 9 a.m. local time. The meetings in Birmingham 
and Bloomington will start at 1:30 p.m. local time. The following table 
lists the dates and start times at the locations indicated:

       Examinations of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines
           [Stakeholder meetings dates, times, and locations]
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           Date/time                   Location            Contact No.
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October 29, 2019, 9 a.m.        DoubleTree by Hilton      (214) 741-7481
 Central Daylight Savings Time.  Hotel Dallas--Market
                                 Center, 2015 Market
                                 Center Blvd., Dallas,
                                 Texas 75207.
Nov. 7, 2019, 1:30 p.m.         Renaissance               (205) 916-7677
 Central Standard Time.          Birmingham, Ross
                                 Bridge, 4000 Grand
                                 Ave., Birmingham,
                                 Alabama 35226.
November 12, 2019, 1:30 p.m.    DoubleTree by Hilton      (309) 664-6446
 Central Standard Time.          Hotel Bloomington, 10
                                 Brickyard Drive,
                                 Bloomington, Illinois
                                 61701.
November 14, 2019, 9 a.m.       Hilton Garden Inn,        (303) 770-4200
 Mountain Standard Time.         Denver Tech Center,
                                 7675 E Union Ave.,
                                 Denver, CO 80237.
November 21, 2019, 9 a.m.       Hilton Garden Inn,        (412) 281-5557
 Eastern Standard Time.          Pittsburgh Downtown,
                                 250 Forbes Avenue,
                                 Pittsburgh,
                                 Pennsylvania 15222.
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II. Background

    On September 30, 2019, MSHA published a technical amendment, 
Examinations of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal (MNM) Mines (84 FR 
51400). The technical amendment recognized the legal effect of the D.C. 
Circuit Court's June 11, 2019, order and August 23, 2019, mandate that 
MSHA revise 30 CFR 56.18002 and 57.18002 to reinstate the regulatory 
provisions established by the Agency's January 23, 2017, final rule, 
Examinations of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines (``January 
2017 rule'') (82 FR 7680).
    The reinstated January 2017 rule requires: (1) That an examination 
of the working place be conducted at least once each shift before 
miners begin working in the place; (2) that operators notify miners in 
the affected areas of any conditions found that may adversely affect 
their safety or health; (3) that operators promptly initiate corrective 
actions; and (4) that a record be made of the examination. The final 
rule requires the examination record to include: The name of the person 
conducting the examination, the date of the examination, the location 
of all areas examined, a description of each condition found that may 
adversely affect the safety and health of miners, and the date of 
corrective action. The final rule also requires the operator to make 
the examination record available to the authorized representative of 
the Secretary and miners' representatives and provide a copy upon 
request (84 FR 51400).
    Currently, compliance assistance materials are available at https://www.msha.gov/regulations/rulemaking/examinations-working-places-metal-and-nonmetal-mines. These materials include Frequently Asked Questions 
and mine operators' sample templates and checklists provided as best 
practices.

David G. Zatezalo,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-22497 Filed 10-16-19; 8:45 am]
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