US coal mines can no longer use 19th-century flame lamps for safety checks

The US Mine Safety and Health Administration wants to remove flame safety lamps from the list of approved equipment for underground coal mines. This change updates safety rules by getting rid of technology that is no longer used.

For decades, US mining regulations have included rules for equipment that hasn't been in use for generations. This proposal is a small step in a larger effort to update these rules. It removes a specific, outdated technology, which simplifies compliance without changing actual safety practices.