The Mine Safety and Health Administration
Background:
The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is a sub agency of the U.S. Department of Labor that’s often overlooked by journalists -- until there’s a tragedy in a U.S. coal mine.
After the disastrous explosions at the Upper Big Branch in 2010, the Sago mine in 2006 and the Aracoma mine in 2006, MSHA was the hub of all media activity. And it was the sole source of most health, emergency, safety, regulatory and historical information for journalists.
MSHA has a very centralized – and relatively small – public affairs and press relations operation. But it also offers a treasure trove of detailed, useful information in its searchable databases. MSHA’s Mine Data Retrieval System provides instantaneous access to records showing safety violations, inspection reports and locations of thousands of U.S. mines.
Mine Data Retrieval System: http://www.msha.gov/drs/drshome.htm
To search for a history of safety violations or incidents at a local mine through the Mine Data Retrieval System, journalists need only have the name of the mine or the name of the company that owns it and its location.
The Mine Data Retrieval System also offers journalists information to produce interesting comparative analysis of safety issues at multiple mines in a region or state. Reporters can search for records and safety investigations by geographic area.
Like many other federal agencies, MSHA has multiple “districts”, branches covering separate geographic areas across the country. (many of those districts cover the fertile mining regions of Kentucky and West Virginia) But – as far as media is concerned -- those districts are relatively unimportant. All media information and public comment is disseminated through the agency’s Arlington, Virginia headquarters.
There are two chief media contacts for the agency, one of whom is a “career” public affairs official, the other a politically appointed official.
Stills and b-roll: MSHA has a training academy in Beckley, West Virginia, where coal miners, mine inspectors and public safety officials are trained on a series of professional tasks and duties, including safety regimens and disaster avoidance. The Beckley office offers still images and video b-roll to media requesting visual aids for use in story production. Those requests should be made through MSHA’s public affairs office: 202-693-9423
MSHA processes FOIA requests made with the agency. Lanesia Washington is the primary MSHA employee responsible for doing so. Her contact email is washington.lanesia@DOL.GOV
Relevant Congressional Committees:
US House Committee on Education and Workforce
US House Committee on Appropriations
US House Committee on Natural Resources
US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Relevant Interest Groups
The National Mining Association, representing the nation’s mining companies
http://www.nma.org/newsroom/contacts.asp
Press Contacts: Carol Raulston craulston@nma.org
Luke Popovich lpopovich@nma.org
202-463-2610
The United Mine Workers Association, representing union coal miners in the U.S.
Press Contacts: Phil Smith psmith@umwa.org
703-291-2400
Wheeling Jesuit University’s National Technology Transfer Center, a university-based mine research institute chaired by former MSHA director Davitt McAteer
Press Contact: Davitt McAteer/Maureen Zambito
304-243-2513
West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, a state agency overseeing mine safety
304-558-1425
Kentucky Mine Safety Review Commission, a state agency overseeing mine safety
http://msrc.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx
502-573-0316
Pennsylvania Bureau of Deep Mine Safety, a state agency overseeing mine safety
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/minres/bmr/msipage/msi_info.htm
Does this agency's information need updating? programs@nationalpress.org
Contact Information
- (202) 693-9400
Amy Louviere is the chief public affairs and media relations contact at MSHA
Louviere.Amy@DOL.GOV
202-693-9423
Jesse Lawder is the additional public affairs contact
202-693-4659