MSHA reported that five fatalities took place in January 2025 at mines in Texas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Two of these accidents took place at coal mines, while the others occurred at construction sand and gravel and dimension stone operations. On January 10, a mobile bridge carrier operator died at Wilson Creek Energy’s Acosta Deep coal mine in Somerset County,…
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MSHA issues safety alert in response to 10 fatalities
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported that 10 miner fatalities have occurred between Jan. 3 and March 5 – more than triple the number for the same period in 2024. Accidents classified as Powered Haulage remain the most common with four fatalities, followed by Machinery (two fatalities), and Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall (two fatalities). Four…
Read MoreWinter Safety Alert
Best Practices for Equipment and Vehicle Safety Best Practices for Miner Preparedness Provide warm shelter. Create designated locations to allow miners to warm up during breaks and prevent cold weather-related injuries.
Read MoreMSHA reports 28th fatality of 2024
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) said an electrician died on November 27, 2024, at the Cargill Deicing Technology – Cleveland mine in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, when a Load Haul Dump loader struck him. The electrician was outside of his mine utility vehicle and was struck by the LHD loader tire. This was the 28th fatality reported in 2024,…
Read MoreMSHA issues 162 violations in November
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) completed impact inspections in November 2024 at 14 mines and issued 162 violations and one safeguard. Of the violations, 44 were identified as significant and substantial and one had an unwarrantable failure finding. Since 2023, MSHA’s impact inspections have identified 5,127 violations, including 1,424 S&S and 100 unwarrantable failure findings at 330 mines.…
Read MorePalmer nominated to head MSHA
Wayne Palmer was nominated by President Trump to serve as assistant secretary of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) at the Department of Labor. He is the former executive vice president of the Essential Minerals Association (EMA). “Wayne has not only been a terrific asset to the EMA team since he joined the association in 2021, but he has…
Read MoreMSHA issues three safety alerts
After three miners were involved in separate preventable accidents, MSHA has released safety alerts for highwalls, dozer entrapment and haul truck rollovers. The agency reported that on September 30, a miner sustained permanently disabling injuries while operating a Caterpillar 992K front-end loader beneath a highwall. A roughly 50-foot section of highwall fell onto the loader, crushing the cab and pinning…
Read MoreMSHA reports 24th fatality of 2024
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has reported that a miner has died from injuries sustained while realigning some longwall shields at Arch Resources’ underground Leer mine complex in West Virginia. The 34-year-old miner, who had 14 years of mining experience, was initially injured on September 28 when the hook and strap assembly broke while attached to two longwall…
Read MoreMSHA reports Alabama mine fatality
MSHA posted that a fatal accident occurred at an underground coal mine in Jefferson County, Alabama, on September 25. According to the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), a roof collapsed at the Oak Grove Resources Mine resulting in the death of one miner. At press time, the cause of the collapse was unclear. Operations are suspended at the mine…
Read MoreAugust MSHA impact inspections net 253 violations
The Mine Safety and Health Administration said it completed impact inspections at 14 mines in 10 states in August 2024, issuing 253 violations. The agency conducts impact inspections at mines with poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. Of the 253 violations MSHA identified in August, 72 were evaluated as significant and substantial (S&S) and…
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