Five mine fatalities in first month of 2025

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…

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MSHA 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.…

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Palmer 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…

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MSHA 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…

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MSHA 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…

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MSHA 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…

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August 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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