News Release

MSHA News Release: [10/14/2003]
Contact Name: Rodney Brown
Phone Number: (202) 693-9425

MSHA Expands Web Site Service for Mining Industry

“E-gov” initiative will allow filing of required forms over Internet

ARLINGTON, Va.—The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced expanded Web site services on its homepage at www.msha.gov. The site now allows mine operators, independent contractors and other mining industry stakeholders to file required forms with the agency over the Internet. As part of the federal government’s “e-gov” initiative, mining industry stakeholders will now see enhancements to forms previously available and the option to provide required information directly to the agency at the MSHA Web site.

“The department’s new service promotes increased efficiency and cuts red tape for mining industry stakeholders as they file forms or provide information required by MSHA rules,” said Dave D. Lauriski, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “The expanded Web site services also allow mine operators to spend less time processing forms and, hopefully, more time focusing on the safety and health of working miners. This helps us toward our goal of sending every miner home safe and healthy after each shift.”

Mining companies, labor representatives, independent contractors and MSHA-approved instructors nationwide are now able to file the most commonly used and required MSHA forms containing certain mine safety and health information directly through the agency’s Web site.

Forms available through the Web site include legal identification forms used by new mine operators and independent contractors who need to register their operations with the agency. Other forms include those for reporting quarterly employment and production and hazardous condition complaints, as well as those for submitting training plans, dust control plans, and forms for requesting petitions for modification, among many others.

To file any of this type of information with the agency, computer users should access the agency’s Web site at www.msha.gov and click on “Forms/Online Filing” located under the “Quick Links” section on the left side of MSHA’s homepage. Users who have questions about the use of the service may call the helpdesk at 1-877-778-6055 or send an e-mail to helpdesk@msha.gov.

# # #

_________________________________________________________________