"The mining community serves the needs of our Nation in virtually every aspect of our daily lives by providing the materials we use for construction, electronics, manufacturing, energy, agriculture, medicine, and electricity. This industry has demonstrated time and time again an almost unbelievable ability to rise to any and all challenges it faces. Productivity has increased over the past 20 years to levels never before imagined, and the industry operates in one of the most difficult and challenging environments imaginable. The professionalism and pride of our mine workers are unmatched throughout the world, and our mining community is held in the highest regard around the globe. Interactions with mining professionals from other countries have always left the author with a deep feeling of respect for what our mining community accomplishes. The recent tragedy we faced with the coal mine explosion in Alabama is a reminder to all of us about the dangers of rock and mineral extraction. The miners who lost their lives in the explosion included a group that went back to the working area of the mine in an attempt to rescue others. In the mining environment, all workers tend to be first responders and are always concerned about the welfare of their brothers and sisters. While we have achieved great success in almost eliminating mine explosions, we must be forever vigilant to ensure that changing geological conditions do not compromise the safety of mining operations. We are mining at deeper levels than ever, producing rocks and minerals at far greater rates, and operating increasingly complex mining systems, all in an environment that is best described as challenging the hostile. In order to ensure the safety and health of our precious resource-the mine worker-we must all work together toward the common goal of protecting the worker."--NIOSHTIC-2.

The U.S. mining sector has the highest fatality rate of any industry in the country. Fortunately, advances made over the past three decades in mining technology, equipment, processes, procedures, and workforce education and training have significantly improved safety and health. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Mining Safety and Health Research Program (Mining Program) has played a large role in these improvements. An assessment of the relevance and impact of NIOSH Mining Program research by a National Research Council committee reveals that the program makes essential contributions to the enhancement of health and safety in the mining industry. To further increase its effectiveness, the Mining Program should proactively identify workplace hazards and establish more challenging and innovative goals toward hazard reduction. The ability of the program to successfully expand its activities, however, depends on available funding.

Throughout the mining and processing of minerals, the mined ore undergoes a number of crushing, grinding, cleaning, drying, and product sizing operations as it is processed into a marketable commodity. These operations are highly mechanized, and both individually and collectively these processes can generate large amounts of dust. If control technologies are inadequate, hazardous levels of respirable dust may be liberated into the work environment, potentially exposing workers. Accordingly, federal regulations are in place to limit the respirable dust exposure of mine workers. Engineering controls are implemented in mining operations in an effort to reduce dust generation and limit worker exposure.

A practical guide to industrial safety. It seeks to assist specialists in managing operations in industrial settings, including high-risk personal exposure such as inhalation hazards and direct chemical contact. It covers hazards in the chemical process industries, inhalation hazards in refineries, indoor air quality management, personal protective equipment, process safety emergency preparedness, safety in the laboratory, and more. There are Web site listings, NFPA hazard ratings, and other sources of information.

"The purpose of this compendium is to provide an overview of current research projects conducted or funded by NIOSH that focus on prevention and control of occupational injury and illness through economic analysis. The compendium includes 22 NIOSH intramural and 32 NIOSH-funded extramural economic projects or other research projects with a substantial economic component that were being conducted during 2002 and 2003"--Page xv.

"This publication is a compendium of NIOSH publications and reports produced during calendar year 2000. Citations are listed by category including: I. Journal Articles; II. Book Chapters, Proceedings, Abstracts; III. Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Reports; IV. Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation; V. DHHS NIOSH Numbered Publications; VI. Technology News; VII. Electronic Media; and VIII. Other." - NIOSHTIC-2