The first stop on the tour was the Lackawanna Coal Mine. The coal mine, located in Scranton, PA was mined from 1860 – 1966. Although this is not an active mine, they provide an excellent opportunity to learn about coal mining issues. Children as young as 8 years old worked in the mines, performing very dangerous jobs. Our tour guideprovided a lot of information about the dangers of mining, including explosions, collapses, and other safety and health issues. We all remember the tragedies in West Virginia, and the miraculous Chilean mine rescue, that have occurred in mines over the last few years. Seeing the conditions first hand puts those events into perspective.

We are now heading to Pittsburgh for tomorrow’s tour of the steel mill and a visit to the NIOSH Personal Protective Technology Laboratory.