Manchin, Cartwright Lead Bipartisan Colleagues In Calling On Administration To Protect Miners From COVID-19 Exposure
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) led 13 Members of Congress in calling on the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to issue immediate guidance to protect mine workers from exposure to COVID-19.
The Members said in part, “Our brave and patriotic miners risk their lives every day to power our nation, and during the COVID-19 pandemic that risk is even greater. As they continue to work in close quarters and tough conditions, miners remain at high risk for COVID-19 infection. While miners have continued to work to supply our nation's energy needs through the pandemic, under the previous Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has refused to issue an enforceable standard to protect workers from COVID-19 and has not taken emergency action to make our mines safer. As a result, we are requesting your immediate assistance to implement safety measures to ensure their health and safety.”
At the beginning of February, Senator Manchin and Representative Cartwright led the introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act (S.184/HR.646) which would require the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to issue an emergency temporary standard requiring mine operators to establish a plan to tackle occupational COVID-19 exposure and provide miners with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE). Additional information on the COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act can be found here.
Senator Manchin and Representative Cartwright are joined by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Bob Casey (D-PA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Peter Welch (D-VT-AL), Mark Takano (D-CA-41), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL-07), Mike Doyle (D-PA-18) and Connor Lamb (D-PA-17).
The letter can be read in full below or click here.
Dear Acting Secretary Stewart,
We write today urge the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to issue immediate guidance to protect mine workers from exposure to the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Our brave and patriotic miners risk their lives every day to power our nation, and during the COVID-19 pandemic that risk is even greater. As they continue to work in close quarters and tough conditions, miners remain at high risk for COVID-19 infection. While miners have continued to work to supply our nation's energy needs through the pandemic, under the previous Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has refused to issue an enforceable standard to protect workers from COVID-19 and has not taken emergency action to make our mines safer. As a result, we are requesting your immediate assistance to implement safety measures to ensure their health and safety.
Unlike other professions where social distancing recommendations are practicable, coal mining generally requires the continuous clustering of people working in close proximity of one another. This clustering occurs in the locker rooms, mantrips, mine cars, elevators, extraction sites, and other transportation means. Coal miners will breath the same air, utilize the same tools, and instrumentalities to move the coal out of the mine and into the stream of commerce.
Once the shifts conclude, the clustering will continue back in the locker rooms where the miners will utilize the same shower facilities and exchange orders with the next shift before returning home to their families in a process that will repeat itself numerous times, thus exponentially increasing the probability of exposure to COVID-19.
As a result, to ensure miner health and safety, we are requesting that the Department of Labor issue the following general COVID safety measures:
- Require individuals to maintain a six-feet social distance at all times
- Require individuals to wear a face mask that covers their mouth and nose at all times
- Require a COVID-19 Safety Coordinator be present on site at all times
In addition, we are specifically requesting guidance for safety measures concerning transport vehicles. As mentioned previously, the transportation of mine workers in elevators and mine cars results in clusters of workers in close proximity often in enclosed spaces. This clearly creates the prime conditions for the dangerous and rapid spread of COVID-19. Therefore, we believe guidance on these specific situations is essential to mine worker safety.
Lastly, we request that MSHA record workplace exposures to COVID-19. This information would be helpful to operators and miners in order to evaluate the safety of a mine site and to avoid potential future exposure.
The Department of Labor is vital in determining and implementing policies and requirements that protect our vital coal mine workers. We want to thank you for your assistance on this important matter. We ask that you address the issue immediately to prevent any further risk to our essential workers. Thank you very much for your continued and swift assistance in the safety of our workers.
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