Notice to Coal Operators Regarding Respirable Dust Sampling and Proximity Detection

Lapse in Appropriations

For workplace safety and health, please call 800-321-6742; for mine safety and health, please call 800-746-1553; for Job Corps, please call 800-733-5627 and for Wage and Hour, please call 1-866-487-9243 (1 866-4-US-WAGE).  This website is currently not being updated due to the suspension of Federal government services. The last update to the site was 10/1/2025.  Updates to the site will start again when the Federal government resumes operations.

Because of a recently discovered interference problem between proximity detection systems and respirable dust sampling devices, MSHA is temporarily delaying its own respirable coal mine dust sampling, and the requirement that coal mine operators conduct respirable coal mine dust sampling, in areas where both the sampling device and the proximity detection system are used at the same time. MSHA is actively analyzing the interference problem and will issue a notice as soon as dust sampling is to resume. If you have questions or concerns, please email zzMSHA-CoalHealth@DOL.GOV