MSHA reported that on April 15, a miner at Riverbend Sand and Gravel, Weld, Colo., died when the tail section of a collapsible belt conveyor fell and pinned him between the tail section and middle section. The miner was working as part of a crew to tear down the conveyor in preparation to be moved. This is the fourth fatality…
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MSHA safety alerts: Electric arc flashes, customer truck drivers
MSHA has reported that in the last six months, 11 miners received injuries due to electric arc flashes. In one instance, two miners were injured by an arc flash while performing maintenance on a breaker box; another, two contract miners received burns while checking the rotation on a transformer. The agency recommends the following best practices to avoid this type…
Read MoreMSHA issues final silica rule
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a final rule to better protect the nation’s miners from health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica. It lowers the permissible exposure limit to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air for a full-shift exposure, calculated as an eight-hour, time-weighted average. If a miner’s exposure exceeds the limit, the…
Read MoreFebruary impact inspections uncover 207 violations: MSHA
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) completed impact inspections at 13 mines in nine states in February, identifying 207 violations with 58 being classified as significant and substantial and two as unwarrantable failures. The agency completed the impact inspections at mines in Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and West Virginia. “February’s impact inspections uncovered hazardous…
Read MoreMSHA reports third fatality of 2024
MSHA has reported that on March 1, a miner at Swift Creek Mine in Hamilton County, Fla., died after a metal slurry pipe struck him. The miner was removing the last bolt connecting two metal slurry pipes when the pipe broke free and swung in his direction. This is the third fatality reported in 2024, and the first classified as…
Read MoreMSHA safety alert: operating equipment near water
MSHA reported that from 2010 through 2023, there were 19 drowning accidents. Eleven of these fatal accidents occurred when mobile equipment, operating near water, became submerged. When working near water mine operators should: MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid this type of accident:
Read MoreMSHA issues multiple violations in January
The Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 15 mines in 10 states in January, issuing 188 violations. Since 2023, the agency has identified 2,927 violations, including 827 significant and substantial and 57 unwarrantable failure findings during its impact inspections. Of the violations MSHA identified in January, 63 were evaluated as S&S and one had unwarrantable failure findings.…
Read MoreMSHA issues alert on rotating conveyor rollers
MSHA is reporting that three miners have been permanently disabled since the beginning of 2024 because of rotating conveyor rollers. Serious and fatal injuries occur when miners clean or adjust conveyor rollers, pulleys and idlers while the belt is in motion. Injuries vary from broken bones to loss of fingers, hands and arms. Some accidents have resulted in fatal injuries. …
Read MorePumpkin Hollow hit by ‘unforeseen setbacks’
In an operational update, Nevada Copper said that its Pumpkin Hollow underground copper mine faced several challenges, including a build-up of water underground, that impacted its progress in the fourth quarter. “Since restarting mining and milling operations, we’ve made progress in a number of areas, including completion of life of mine projects such as the Geho dewatering system and phase…
Read MoreSafety alert issued for Ocenco M20.3
MSHA requested in late December that any mines using Ocenco M20.3 SCSRs visually inspect every unit due to a known issue. This is in addition to its outline that the units must be worn in the approved black case and visually inspected at the beginning of each work shift. During mandated approval audits, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and…
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