74-24.1. Short title and legislative purpose.

(a) This Article shall be known as the Mine Safety and Health Act of North Carolina.

(b) Legislative findings and purpose:

(1) The General Assembly finds that the burden of operators and miners of this State's mines resulting from personal injuries and illnesses arising out of work situations is substantial; that the prevention of these injuries and illnesses is an important objective of the government of this State; that the greatest hope in attaining this objective lies in programs of research, engineering, education, and enforcement, and in earnest cooperation of the federal and state governments, operators, and miners.

(2) The General Assembly of North Carolina declares it to be its purpose and policy through the exercise of its powers to assure so far as possible every worker in North Carolina's mines safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources:

a. By encouraging operators and miners in their effort to reduce the number of occupational safety and health hazards in mines and to stimulate and assist operators and miners to institute new programs and to perfect existing programs for providing safe and healthful working conditions through technical assistance and consultation;

b. By recognizing that operators and miners have separate but interdependent responsibilities and rights with respect to achieving safe and healthful working conditions;

c. By authorizing the Commissioner to develop occupational safety and health standards applicable to mines giving consideration to the needs of operators and miners and to adopt standards promulgated from time to time by the federal government;

d. By providing occupational health criteria which will assure insofar as practicable that no miner will suffer diminished health, functional capacity, or life expectancy as a result of his work experience in a mine;

e. By providing education and training programs to increase the number and competence of personnel engaged in the field of occupational safety and health;

f. By providing an effective enforcement program which shall include a prohibition against giving advance notice of a mine inspection;

g. By providing for appropriate reporting procedures with respect to occupational safety and health which will help achieve the objectives of this Article and accurately describe the nature of the occupational safety and health problems in mines;

h. By providing for research and technical assistance in the field of occupational safety and health in mines and by developing innovative methods, techniques, and approaches for dealing with occupational safety and health problems in mines; and

i. By authorizing the Commissioner to enter into agreements and contracts with public and private agencies, including agencies of the United States government, organizations, and individuals in order to carry out the ends and purposes of this Article.

(c) The General Assembly of North Carolina appoints the North Carolina Department of Labor as the designated agency to administer the Mine Safety and Health Act of North Carolina.