Labor Department Proposes Silica Rule Keeping 50-Microgram Limit, Issues Five Final Mine Rules
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) on November 10 unveiled a proposed rule to protect miners from crystalline silica dust and issued five final mine safety and health rules the same day. The two announcements carry release numbers 26-1681-NAT and 26-1682-NAT.
The silica proposal amends the 2024 final rule and retains the permissible exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica at or below 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air and an action level of 25 micrograms. It adds risk-based changes to compliance requirements, exposure monitoring, medical surveillance, recordkeeping, and respiratory protection based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.
MSHA said several developments after the 2024 rule led to the new proposal, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit's stay of the final rule's compliance deadlines. In an April 2026 program information bulletin, MSHA announced it would delay enforcement of the 2024 rule's requirements because of the stay, while continuing to enforce existing standards.
After the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register, MSHA will welcome public comments and announce the date of a public hearing that will be open for online participation. Comments are due 60 days after publication.
The five final rules advance President Trump's executive order aimed at eliminating unnecessary, outdated, and burdensome regulations. MSHA said the rules do not reduce protections for miners because they remove requirements that are no longer applicable to the underground mining industry, including outdated effective dates, requirements for outdated technology no longer used, and duplicative requirements.
The five rules remove duplicative requirements for electric cap lamps and other electric lamps in underground coal mines; eliminate outdated diesel particulate matter personal exposure limit requirements for underground metal and nonmetal mines; remove installation requirements for foam generator systems in underground coal mines that are no longer applicable; eliminate requirements for electrical face equipment in coal seams above the water table, since all underground coal mines are treated similarly regardless of location relative to the water table; and remove requirements on final mining of pillars, a practice using one mine opening that is no longer used.
Earlier this year MSHA published four deregulatory final rules on flame safety lamps, diesel particulate matter in underground coal mines, conveyor belts, and blacksmith shops. The five new final rules will be published in the November 12 edition of the Federal Register and take effect 30 days after publication. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor)
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国劳工部总部大楼（GSM 固定图库）。 / Photo: U.S. Department of Labor headquarters (GSM asset library).
