20 May 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2026
Contact: Tochtli Garcia | tgarcia@nationalcosh.org | +1 917 804 8581
National COSH Warns Against Weakening Independent Mine Safety Oversight Following FMSHRC Firings and Layoffs
Concerns grow that disruptions to federal mine safety oversight could discourage miners from reporting hazardous conditions.
Phoenix, AZ - The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) is expressing serious concern following the reported firing of Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commissioner Moshe Marvit and the layoffs and office closure affecting the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), the independent body responsible for reviewing mine safety enforcement disputes and whistleblower cases.
Independent oversight systems are a critical safeguard for miners and their families. FMSHRC plays a central role in ensuring that mine safety enforcement actions, retaliation complaints, and legal disputes are reviewed fairly and impartially. Any disruption to that process risks undermining confidence in the systems designed to protect workers from preventable injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
“These actions raise urgent concerns about the stability and independence of the systems miners rely on to report hazards and seek accountability in one of the country’s deadliest industries,” said Katelyn Parady, Associate Director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health. “I spent the first half of my life around mines and mine safety issues, so I understand how deeply mining communities depend on strong and trusted safety systems. When those systems are destabilized, it can have serious consequences for miners and their families.”
The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act established FMSHRC as an independent agency specifically to ensure impartial review of disputes involving mine safety enforcement and miner retaliation claims. Workers advocates warn that staffing cuts, office closures, and uncertainty surrounding the Commission’s independence could delay and weaken trust in the appeals process at a time when miners continue to face workplace hazards.
National COSH emphasized that mine safety oversight must remain independent from political pressure and administrative instability. Effective enforcement systems depend on workers believing that safety complaints, whistleblower protections, and appeals processes will be handled daily and without interference.
“The members of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate,” said Robert F. Cohen Jr., former commissioner at the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC). “It is outrageous that President Trump, for political purposes, attempted to override the will of the Senate and remove Commissioner Moshe Marvit. That kind of political interference undermines the stability of the Commission and could cause both miners and mine operators to question its impartiality and the fairness of due process going forward.”
National COSH is calling on policymakers and federal leaders to protect the independence, staffing, and operational capacity of agencies responsible for worker health and safety oversight. The organization also urged continued support for whistleblower protections and timely adjudication of mine safety disputes to ensure workers can report hazards without fear of retaliation.
Mine Safety should never be politicized. Every worker deserves confidence that the institutions charged with protecting their lives operate with integrity, independence, and accountability.