News

IME Signs Safety Alliance Agreement with Mine Safety and Health Administration

06/22/2016

Washington, D.C. – On June 14, Debra Satkowiak, President of the Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME), joined with the Honorable Joseph Main, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health to formally sign an alliance agreement pledging to work together to provide mine industry personnel with information, guidance, and access to training materials that emphasize and advance the safe use of explosives.  The signing ceremony took place during the 2016 IME Spring Meeting in Washington, DC, and was witnessed by industry and government attendees. 
 
Also present for the ceremony from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) were:  Patricia Silvey, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations, and Marvin Lichtenfels, Deputy Administrator for Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health.  
 
John Sonday, Chairman, IME Board of Governors, noted that, “Over 100 years ago, IME was founded when there was a recognition that safety needed to be an integral part of the commercial explosives industry.”  He continued, “We are hopeful that the IME-MSHA Alliance Agreement will help us promote safety for the next century.”
 
“At our core, IME is a safety organization, so we consider MSHA our partners in safety and we look forward to working with them to find ways to promote safety across the sector.  We also view this safety agreement as an opportunity to build relationships with MSHA personnel so that when seemingly intractable problems arise, we will be able to have the frank discussions necessary to find solutions that are in the interest of the workers,” concluded Satkowiak. 
 
Founded in 1913, IME promotes safety and security and the protection of employees, users, the public and the environment and encourages the adoption of uniform rules and regulations in the manufacture, transportation, storage, handling, use and disposal of explosive materials.  More information on IME can be found at www.IME.org.