HARRISBURG -- Workers who toil in bituminous coal mines can soon feel safer on the job.

The state Senate unanimously approved changes to strengthen Pennsylvania's 47-year-old mine safety law, and the House is expected to follow suit.

The details were negotiated in a meeting between leaders of all four legislative caucuses and Gov. Ed Rendell in the wee hours yesterday morning during a budget negotiating session.

"This is the very best we can do go give [miners] a safe working environment and to protect them," said Sen. Mary Jo White, R-Venango, chairwoman of the Environment Resources and Energy Committee.

The changes call for a the creation of a Board of Coal Mine Safety, which would be authorized to write new regulations as mining technology changes.

The legislation also would make mine owners primarily responsible for safety, increase requirements for distance between abandoned mines and new drilling and allow mine workers to accompany state inspectors on mine inspections.

"This bill will remove antiquated references to animals and stables in mines and gives us the ability to quickly adapt to the realities of 21st century mining technology," Mr. Rendell said.

The legislation incorporates recommendations made as a result of the 2002 disaster at Quecreek in Somerset County, where nine miners were saved in a dramatic rescue.

The House is expected to vote today or tomorrow.