This year's tragic mine accidents in West Virginia require immediate action to put in place addition safety requirements to help miners successfully evacuate a mine when an emergency occurs.

If you are…getting involved in several accidents per year, safety technology is really going to help, and help you quickly.

Responses to this request for information will assist the agency in determining an appropriate course of action as necessary to improve mine rescue capabilities.

I am asking miners and management at every mine operation to do the right thing: Take one hour out for safety's sake. This Monday, we urge that extra time be taken, at the beginning of each shift and before the start of any mining activity, to go over the hazards involved with mining and the vital safeguards that need to be taken.

We will use every tool at our disposal to go after operators that refuse to pay their penalties for mine safety violations, and that includes holding the people who control them personally responsible.

Alcohol and drug abuse by miners threatens the safety of their colleagues, and that cannot be tolerated.