The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) received a petition from Mingo Logan Coal, LLC to modify existing safety standards for the Mountaineer II Mine in West Virginia. The petition seeks permission to use two types of respiratory protection devices, the 3M Versaflo TR-800 and the CleanSpace EX, as an alternative to currently approved equipment, which has been discontinued. The petitioner claims these devices provide the same level of safety and protection against coal dust, although they are not MSHA-approved. The proposal includes specific safety measures and training requirements for the use of these devices.
Simple Explanation
A company that runs a coal mine wants to use new breathing masks to keep workers safe from dust, but these masks haven't been given the thumbs-up by the people who set the safety rules yet. They're saying the new masks are just as safe as the old ones, which aren't made anymore, but some grown-ups are worried about whether these new masks are really okay to use.