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National News

No Law In Place To Prevent Mining Under Influence

March 01, 2012 posted by Steve Brownstein

There is no mandatory testing of miners required by MSHA.

This statement from the Mine Safety and Health Administration may seem strange in a time when West Virginia is leading the country in prescription drug abuse. Yet, there is no law on the books requiring people working at surface or underground coal mines to pass a drug screen.

Companies usually test employees and potential employees, screening out those who are found to have any of the nine substances in a standard test, among them amphetamines, cannabanoids, cocaine and opiates. But it is not required by law.

Legislation is pending in Charleston to make it a legal requirement that miners be tested for drugs. The bill under consideration would require a miner to provide proof of drug and alcohol free status in order to receive their certification to work at a coal mine.

But currently no federal or state agency requires testing.