24 March 2006

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[Federal Register: March 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 57)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14898]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24mr06-77]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 
Workshop on Mine Escape Planning and Emergency Shelters

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration and the National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

ACTION: Notice of workshop.

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SUMMARY: The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the 
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are 
hosting a workshop to identify the major issues and concerns related to 
mine escape planning and emergency shelters in the mining industry, and 
share information with the mining community. The workshop will provide 
for an exchange of information among all segments of the mining 
community involved with mine emergency preparedness and will generate 
an agenda for research to improve technology for mine safety in these 
areas.

DATES: The workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 18, beginning at 8 
a.m. and conclude by 5:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the National Academy of 
Sciences Auditorium, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jeffery H. Kravitz, MSHA, at 412-
386-6923 or Dr. Gerald L. Finfinger, NIOSH, at 412-386-6550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    MSHA and NIOSH will moderate a day-long workshop on mine escape 
planning and emergency shelters.

Location and Transportation

    Participants should plan to arrive by Metro or taxi and enter the 
building at 2100 ``C'' Street, NW. A shuttle leaves the Foggy Bottom 
Metro station at 7:15 a.m. and runs directly to the National Academy 
building. The National Academy has a cafeteria in the building.

Attendance and Registration

    The workshop is open to all interested parties. In addition to 
state and federal government representatives, we expect that mine 
operators, labor representatives, and manufacturers will be interested 
in this workshop. We encourage manufacturers and distributors of 
emergency shelters, self-rescue devices, mine rescue apparatus, and 
other equipment that can aid in mine escape, evacuation, rescue, and 
recovery operations to attend this workshop.
    You can register at the workshop or you can pre-register by 
contacting one of the following persons:
     Donna Opfer (NIOSH) at 412-386-6564, Dopfer@cdc.com;
     John Sporrer (NIOSH) at 412-386-6435, JSporrer@cdc.com; or
     Yvonne Quinn (MSHA) at 202-693-9440, quinn.yvonne@dol.gov.

We will include all participants on the registration list and make it 
available at the workshop.

Scheduled Presentations

    Representatives from MSHA and NIOSH will be discussing issues 
involving mine escape planning, with an emphasis on evacuation as a 
first priority, and emergency shelters. Invited international speakers 
include representatives from Canada, Germany, South Africa, and 
Australia. MSHA and NIOSH will provide participants an opportunity to 
ask questions and submit written comments and information.

Tentative Agenda

    You can find workshop information, including a tentative agenda, on 
the NIOSH and MSHA Internet sites, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh and http://www.msha.gov.
 Topics addressing mine escape planning will include the 
philosophy of escape planning, a recent history of mine escapes, 
warning systems, and the use of self-rescue devices and lifelines. 
Tentative topics addressing emergency shelters include the history of 
the use of emergency shelters, how mine design has changed since the 
1980s, shelter placement in the mine, configuration and construction, 
life support and instrumentation, communication issues, equipment and 
supplies, and psychological and training issues.

Workshop Proceedings

    MSHA and NIOSH will compile the workshop presentations, which are 
in PowerPoint'' format, audiotape the workshop, and make a transcript 
of the proceedings. The PowerPoint[reg] presentations and workshop 
transcript will be made available on the NIOSH and MSHA Internet sites, 
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh and http://www.msha.gov. At a later date, MSHA 
and NIOSH will summarize the information presented by participants and 
prepare a joint report.

    Dated: March 20, 2006.
David G. Dye,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health.

    Dated: March 21, 2006.
Dr. John Howard,
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 06-2905 Filed 3-23-06; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-43-P