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HRD-81-80 1 (1981-04-27)

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UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE
        WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548


HUMAN RffSOURCE5
   DIVISION


B-202483


APRIL 27, 1981


The Honorable Raymond J. Donovan
The Secretary of Labor

Dear Mr. Secretary:


115073


     Subject: 5iSHA's Regulation Development Process Needs
               Improvement)(HRD-81-80)

    -We reviewed the Mine Safety and Health Administration's
(MSHA's) procedures for developing safety and health regulations.-_
Performance in promulgating regulations has improved since 1977;
however, further improvements are needed to better ensure protec-
tion of miners. A centralized focal point should be established
to determine priorities and monitor progress in developing regula-
tions. Regulations for hazards common to coal mines and metal/
nonmetal mines should be developed concurrently.

BACKGROUND

     On November 9, 1977, the Congress passed the Federal Mine
Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-164). The act com-
bined all Federal mine safety and health programs under a single
statute, which provides for the promulgation of new or revised
mandatory safety and health regulations to protect all miners.'
It also provides specific steps and time frames for the formal
rulemaking process.

     The Congress, in its deliberations on the act, was concerned
that the separate laws which covered coal mining and metal/nonmetal
mining were not providing equal protection for all miners. In
addition, there was concern that only a few metal/nonmetal health
regulations had been promulgated and that the development processes
were too slow.


                                                           (206881)


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