Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) on Nov. 18 launched the second phase of an outreach and enforcement program designed to strengthen efforts to prevent mining fatalities.

“Rules to Live By II: Preventing Catastrophic Accidents” was developed from data gathered by reviewing accidents that resulted in five or more fatalities, as well as from incidents caused by fires or explosions that had the potential to result in more fatalities.

MSHA analyzed citation data from eight accidents at underground coal mines that took place between 2000 and 2009, and resulted in the deaths of 47 miners.

These accidents occurred at Willow Creek, Jim Walters No. 5, McElroy, Sago, Aracoma Alma Mine No. 1, Darby Mine No. 1, R & D Coal Co. and Crandall Canyon.

In developing the second phase of “Rules to Live By,” MSHA reviewed these accidents to identify conditions and practices contributing to the accident, safety standards violated, root causes and abatement practices.

The April 5 explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine is not included, but MSHA plans to update “Rules to Live By II” when the investigation of that accident is complete.

“Too many miners have lost their lives in catastrophic accidents over the past 10 years,” Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, said in a written statement. “That is simply unacceptable.”

Main says the goal of ‘Rules to Live By II’ is to prevent major accidents – from fires to explosions – that could be disasters by having mine operators identify and correct all hazardous conditions, and direct MSHA enforcement toward confirming that violations relating to these standards and conditions are not present at mines.