Again $afepro and the Industry thank Sharpe Media for this timely update!

IOWA MINERS 'REVOLT' OVER MSHA

MSHA needs to think again if it believes its enforcement tsunami is universally welcomed by miners.

Some 530 aggregate miners in Iowa have signed a letter calling on Congress to review MSHA's role in mine safety.  The signatures were delivered to the Iowa congressional delegation during a fly-in to Capitol Hill May 24-25.  According to Rich White, Executive Director of the Iowa Limestone Producers Association (ILPA), the number of employee signatures has since swelled to over 600.

The ILPA letter contends that events following the 2006 Sago coal mine tragedy "released a monster upon our industry" (MSHA), which "has been given the very dangerous combination of limited accountability and unlimited authority."  Although the aggregate sector's incidence rate has shown steady improvement over the past decade, enforcement action, not safety, has become the Agency's mantra.  As a result, MSHA inspectors have lost the support and respect of miners. 

$afepro cheers and thanks the Iowa Aggregates Miners for joining the fray to save jobs and lives in our Great Industry!