MSHA Needs to Provide Better Oversight of Emergency Response Plans

Submitting OIG:

Department of Labor OIG

Date Issued:

Friday, March 31, 2017

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

Department of Labor

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

05-17-002-06-001

Location(s):

Agency-Wide

Type of Report:

Audit

Questioned Costs:

Funds for Better Use:

Number of Recommendations:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
05-17-002-06-001MSHA-Review-Emergency-Rspnse-Plns03312017.pdf	4.02 MB

Additional Details Link:

https://www.oig.dol.gov/public/reports/oa/viewpdf.php?r=05-17-002-06-001&y=2017

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
1	Open	Yes
Reissue PPL P16-V-01 to clarify the mine operators' responsibility for local coordination under the MINER Act. The revision should: a. Inform mine operators to insert language in their ERP referencing the call lists posted at the mine if the ERP does not include them. b. Clarify how a mine operator establishes procedures for coordination and communication between the operator, mine rescue teams, and local emergency response personnel and makes provisions for familiarizing local rescue personnel with surface functions that may be required in the course of mine rescue work.
2	Open	Yes
Maintain an ERP review checklist on MSHA’s website that is updated when requirements change.
3	Open	Yes
Standardize the ERP review and approval processes and tools across MSHA districts. At minimum, the procedures should specify the a. type of reviews (specialist and/or inspector) the districts should be completing and the frequency for each type of review, b. steps the reviewer should take for a specialist review versus an inspector review and the tools (e.g., standardized review checklist) to use during each review, and c. dates (e.g., Date Received and Decision Date) to enter into the tracking system and instructions on where to obtain each date.
4	Open	Yes
Issue additional guidance and provide refresher training on how to enter ERP data into the tracking system and use the tracking system to provide oversight.
5	Open	Yes
Implement a process for headquarters and district personnel to manage the ERP program more effectively by periodically (e.g., quarterly or semi-annually) reviewing reports from the tracking system.
9	Open	Yes
Issue regulations or guidance to make mine operators aware of tools currently available on MSHA’s website they can use when developing their ERPs and clarify when mine operators should submit an ERP and whether mine operators can exclude certain information from the ERP.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

Open

Yes

Reissue PPL P16-V-01 to clarify the mine operators' responsibility for local coordination under the MINER Act. The revision should: a. Inform mine operators to insert language in their ERP referencing the call lists posted at the mine if the ERP does not include them. b. Clarify how a mine operator establishes procedures for coordination and communication between the operator, mine rescue teams, and local emergency response personnel and makes provisions for familiarizing local rescue personnel with surface functions that may be required in the course of mine rescue work.

Open

Yes

Maintain an ERP review checklist on MSHA’s website that is updated when requirements change.

Open

Yes