Some in the coal mining industry are criticizing a new proposal by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. The organization held a public video conference on the proposal.

Officials with the United Mine Workers say MSHA's proposal to expand federal drug testing rules is unnecessary.

Under the new proposal, pre-employment and random drug testing would be required for all miners.

“That way I don't get hurt, or he hurts somebody else,” coal miner David Burns said.

Officials with the United Mine Workers of America say the attention should be on safety issues other than drugs.

Our concern is that this proposal takes funding away, takes resources away, and takes attention away from health and safety issues in the coal mines,” UMWA Communications Director Phil Smith said.

MSHA officials say the public hearing was an effort to come up with a compromise on the issue.

“There's a lot of difference in opinion and it's our job to go through all those opinions and come up with what we think is the best rule that can be put in place,” MSHA Administrator Kevin Stricklin said.

Andy Fields with Sapphire Coal Company says he's had problems with employees being under the influence before, and that's why miners there are already randomly drug tested.

“If they hurt themselves, or they hurt somebody else, it's too late to say, hey let's do something about this,” Andy Fields with Sapphire Coal Company said.

He says coal mining is already dangerous enough without throwing drugs into the mix.

MSHA typically takes several months to publish a final ruling after the public comment period is over. MSHA officials estimate the initiative would cost the mining industry about $16 million the first year and $13 million annually after that.