The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) received a petition from Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, to modify a mandatory safety standard concerning the use of electric equipment at the Sufco Mine in Utah. The company wants to use the Drager X-plore 8000 powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) to help protect miners from dust, complementing the already approved 3M Versa Flo units. Canyon Fuel argues that the Drager PAPR could ease parts shortages and still ensure miner safety. The petition outlines alternative safety measures to ensure the proposed equipment provides equal protection to the current standards.
Simple Explanation
The government is thinking about letting a mining company use a new type of mask in their mine, which they say will keep workers safe from dust just like the old mask. They need to make sure that switching masks is just as safe, doesn't hurt the environment, and helps with mask shortages.