The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 14 mines in 10 states in November 2023, issuing 184 violations and one safeguard. The agency began impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners. To date, MSHA’s impact inspections in 2023 have identified 2,491…
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MSHA Announces Mobile Equipment Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule from its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to help protect miners from accidents, injuries and fatalities related to surface mobile equipment. The rule requires mine operators to have written safety programs for surface mobile equipment — excluding belt conveyors — at surface mines and underground mines’ surface areas. The programs…
Read MoreMSHA Will Extend Public Comment Period for Silica Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will extend the public comment period on proposed amendments to existing federal standards that protect the nation’s miners from health hazards related to workplace exposure of respirable crystalline silica or silica dust. MSHA will extend the comment period from Aug. 28 to Sept. 11, adding 15…
Read MoreMSHA Impact Inspections Target 18 Mines, Yield 242 Violations in June
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that impact inspections completed by its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) at 18 mines in 12 states in June 2023 led the agency to issue 242 violations. The agency began impact inspections after the deaths of 29 miners in an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in April 2010, one of the…
Read MoreMSHA Issues Heat Alert
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reminds producers that mining in hot work areas during the summer can cause serious health issues for miners. Everyone needs to recognize the hazards of heat stress and mine operators should provide heat-stress recognition training, monitoring and personal protective equipment. Symptoms of Heat Stress Skin is hot, usually dry, red or spotted. Body…
Read MoreMSHA Calls on Industry to ‘Stand Down to Save Lives’
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will hold its first “Stand Down to Save Lives” on May 17 as part of a national campaign to encourage the nation’s mining community to take steps to prevent injuries and illnesses and stop an alarming rise in the number of miners killed on the job in 2023. So…
Read MoreMSHA Impact Inspections Include Aggregates, Cement Plants
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that monthly impact inspections by its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) at 16 mines in 12 states in March 2023 have identified 205 violations, including 52 significant and substantial findings. Impact inspections are done at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement related to poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses;…
Read MoreMSHA Announces Mine Safety, Health Training, Education Funding
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is making $10.5 million grant funding available to help provide mine safety training for the nation’s miners. MSHA will award these grants as part of its fiscal year 2023 State Grants program to fund the delivery of federally mandated training and re-training for miners working at…
Read MoreMSHA Impact Inspections Target 25 Mines
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration released the findings of monthly impact inspections at 25 U.S. mines in January and February 2023. MSHA conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to factors that include poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. The impact inspections resulted…
Read MoreDOL Offers Safety App for Spanish-Speaking Miners
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Miner Safety and Health app for iOS and Android devices is now available in Spanish. In August 2022, the Mine Safety and Health Administration launched the app’s original version. With today’s launch, Spanish-speaking miners will have access to the app’s benefits. Users will need to switch their phone settings to Spanish to…
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