As part of its efforts to support mine safety, health training across the nation, the U.S. Department of Labor and Mine Safety and Health Administration have awarded grant monies totaling more than $10.5 million for the advancement of miner education to organizations in 45 states, the Navajo Nation, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Read MoreTag: mine operators
MSHA issues impoundment safety alert after heavy precipitation
MSHA is warning that heavy rainfall and flooding across mining regions can increase the risk of impoundment instability and potential failures. Mine operators and contractors must manage these risks and take proactive steps to ensure the safety of all impoundment structures. MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid issues with impoundments:
Read MoreSafe, smart and sustainable
Information from intelligent wired and wireless instruments, and other field devices, can help plant personnel optimize operations. by Sharon McCurdy and Victor Mwaba The metals and mining industry is a key player in the global energy transition since it provides many of the raw materials needed for critical components, such as batteries, wind turbine blades, and others. These materials must…
Read MoreMSHA issues 119 violations in December
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) completed impact inspections in December 2024 at 13 mines in Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and West Virginia, and issued 119 violations with 32 being evaluated as significant and substantial and two had unwarrantable failure findings. In 2023 and 2024, MSHA conducted 343 impact inspections and identified 5,246 violations, including 1,456…
Read MoreFinal rule on Black Lung Benefits Act released
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs has issued a final rule revising the regulations under the Black Lung Benefits Act related to self-insurance by coal mine operators. Under the new standard, self-insured coal mine operators will be required to post adequate security for their Black Lung benefit liabilities. It also will protect the Black Lung Disability…
Read MoreABB, Komatsu to collaborate on electrification platform
ABB and Komatsu have signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement to collaborate on the development of integrated solutions that will help bring net-zero emissions for heavy industrial machinery a step closer to reality. The collaboration brings two global leaders together to share industry expertise and products in a bid to create world-class solutions, ranging from renewable energy generation to fully electrified…
Read MoreInnovations in load and haul
Three companies talk to North American Mining about recent developments to improve load-and-haul operations. By Jonathan Rowland Trucks, loaders, shovels, dozers: this is the equipment – the Big Iron – that has come to define our view of opencast mining operations. Yet traditional load and haul operations are coming under increasing and competing pressures. Strip volumes rise as mining companies…
Read MoreU.S. Department of Labor broadcasts silica panel discussion
Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson moderated a live-streamed panel discussion on June 3 to discuss how the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s final rule for respirable crystalline silica will better protect the health of the nation’s miners.
Read MoreMSHA impact inspections in June target 15 mines
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) completed impact inspections at 15 mines in 12 states in June 2024 and cited mine operators for 195 violations. The agency conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses; and other compliance…
Read MoreA recent discrimination case – and some good news for mine operators
By Willa B. Perlmutter Well, guys, I hate to say I told you so, but…well, I told you so. A few months back, I wrote about a whistleblower retaliation case that had just come out of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, and shared with you that I thought the Commission’s reasoning gave cause for alarm. (I know,…
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