The Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) temporarily paused enforcement of its final rule lowering miners’ exposure to respirable crystalline silica, delaying it for the coal industry until Aug. 18 of this year.
The silica rule was set to be effective for coal operations today.
In a notice to stakeholders, MSHA sights unforeseen restructuring at the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health and other technical reasons as driving the four-month pause.
“MSHA understands that recent National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health restructuring may impact the Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory and the supply of approved and certified respirators and personal dust monitors,” MSHA says in its notice to stakeholders.
MSHA says the pause will provide the agency time to assist mining industry compliance.
The agency will continue with its regular enforcement activities on existing standards for respirable coal mine dust. The pause does not affect the compliance date of April 8, 2026, for metal/nonmetal mines.
Related: What you need to know about MSHA’s final rule for silica
