New rule requires safe rooms in mines

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Mines will be required to have safe rooms for miners trapped by cave-ins and fires under new rules from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Under the regulations, coal conveyor belts must be fire-resistant, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

MSHA has been reconsidering mine safety since 2006 when 47 miners died in the United States. In the deadliest incident that year, 13 miners were trapped underground at the Sago Mine in West Virginia and 12 of them died.

There were 32 deaths in 2007 and 28 this year.

Under the regulations, safe rooms must be located near the working face in mines. They would have to be large enough and equipped adequately to keep miners alive for 96 hours or for half that time if they have links to the surface.

The conveyor belt rule was inspired by a fire three years ago that killed two miners in Logan, W. Va.