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State Rep. Tim Solobay D-Washington www.pahouse.com/Solobay

House sends landmark miner safety legislation to governor  

Legislation mirrors proposal spearheaded by Rep. Solobay

HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Rep. Tim Solobay, D-Washington, applauded House passage today of a bill that will ensure stronger mine safety standards and more protection for Pennsylvania miners.

Senate Bill 949, which is similar to legislation Solobay introduced in the House, will update the state's nearly 50-year-old Bituminous Coal Mine Act.

"This bill will help to ensure that when a miner leaves for work in the morning, chances are good he'll come home to his family again at night," Solobay said. "A key provision of what we passed tonight in the House will permit a representative of the miners, selected by at least two miners, to accompany a state inspector on mine inspections."

Other provisions would:

· require detailed examination of equipment at the beginning of each shift and throughout the shift;

· require fire-related safeguards and specific ventilating practices;

· give miners a better opportunity to escape or transport injured miners when an emergency occurs through specified track distance and transport vehicle standards; and

· prohibit dual compartment shafts. Under the legislation, the distance between emergency escape shafts could be no less than 200 feet, and the distance between openings to the surface of slopes and between drifts could be no less than 50 feet.

The bill now goes to Gov. Ed Rendell for his signature.

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