On April 14, Christopher J. Williamson, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, penned this letter to the mining community. Dear Members of the Mining Community: Forty-five years ago, Congress declared that the first priority and concern of everyone in the mining industry must be the safety and health of the nation’s miners. In the spirit of working…
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The West Virginia Coal Association annual symposium bounced the balance of market, fossil fuels’ public perception and the industry’s plans to charge toward prosperity, environmental optimism and safety in Charleston April 18-19. By Donna Schmidt With a change of venue this year to the conference hall of the capital city’s Embassy Suites, the West Virginia Coal Association (WVCA) brought together…
Read MoreThe 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 MoreThe 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 MoreThe Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported that on March 15, a miner at Vulcan Materials’ Fort Pierce Mine in St Lucie County, Fla., drowned when the ground sloughed, causing the excavator he was operating to topple into a water-filled pit. The excavator became submerged in approximately 25 feet of water. This is the 12th fatality reported in 2023,…
Read MoreThe 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 MoreThe U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is urging miners and operators to remain alert during the winter months as temperatures drop and safety hazards rise. The agency is stressing best practices for all, including surface operations where clearing ice and snow from roads and walkways are at the top of the list, along with applying salt or sand…
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For the 13th time, the U.S. marked National Miners Day, and U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) assistant secretary for mine safety and health Christopher Williamson marked the occasion in a statement. “Each December, our nation marks National Miners Day to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of America’s miners,” Williamson said. “Our miners and their families deserve our gratitude…
Read MoreThe Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has reported that on August 4, a mine manager at Wooten Sand & Gravel Inc., Miller County, Ark. died while performing maintenance on a bulldozer. While kneeling on the bulldozer’s track, the victim accidentally engaged the lever that put the bulldozer in reverse. The bulldozer track moved the victim to the rear…
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An underground fire is reportedly still ongoing at the Lila Canyon coal operation in Emery County, Utah, after more than a week, but regulatory officials have said no injuries have been reported. According to local news outlets The Salt Lake Tribune, KSL-TV and ETV News, the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining said the fire began last Tuesday, September…
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