Another Step in Eliminating Black Lung
MSHA Sets Up Dust Fraud Hotline for Coal Mine Workers

The Labor Department's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has set up a toll-free hotline which coal miners may report any problems related to coal dust sampling which may affect the accuracy of the samples or may not reflect normal mine conditions. Fraud includes hanging dust sampling pumps in wrong locations, turning off the dust sampling pumps, or tampering with the filters.

"This is another step in our comprehensive effort to eliminate black lung disease from the nation's coal mines," said Davitt McAteer, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. "This hotline gives miners another tool for alerting this agency concerning dust sampling problems, allowing us to respond quickly and direct our resources toward the problem of respirable dust at that location."

Callers to the hotline will be asked to give the mine location and the specific area of the mine in which the violation was witnessed. Although callers are not required to leave their name and phone number, they are asked to do so to aid in the follow-up investigation by the agency. Any identifying information would be kept confidential.

All complaints called in will be thoroughly checked by MSHA inspectors.