The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has reminded producers that mining in hot work areas during the summer can cause serious health issues for miners. Everyone needs to recognize the hazards of heat stress and mine operators should provide heat-stress recognition training, monitoring and personal protective equipment. Symptoms of Heat Stress Heat Stress Prevention Treat Symptoms DO: DO NOT:…
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MSHA Secretary Appeals to Mining Community
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…
Read MoreMSHA reports on 10th, 11th, 12th fatalities of year
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. It was the 12th fatality reported in 2023, and the fourth classified as Machinery. …
Read MoreMSHA Reports 15th Fatality of 2023
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported that on April 9, a miner died at South Pittsburg Stone #2, Marion County, Tenn., while mounting off-road truck tires on rims. The miner was in the process of mounting a tire on its rim when another tire’s outer lock ring dislodged, became airborne and struck the victim in the head. This…
Read MoreMSHA calls on industry to ‘Stand Down to Save Lives’
The 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 more things change, the more they remain the same…maybe
By Willa B. Perlmutter A couple of weeks ago, I attended a conference on occupational safety and health law sponsored by the American Bar Association for lawyers from the government, labor and private employers. (Admit it. The idea of hanging out with a bunch of lawyers for five days in a hotel ballroom thrills you, doesn’t it?) The first day…
Read MoreMiner Health Matters
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration works to prevent mining injuries, illnesses and fatalities, and promote safe and healthful workplaces for all U.S. miners. The agency name and its mission statement make clear that protecting both miners’ safety and health must be a priority. MSHA said it takes seriously its mandate to conduct inspections; investigate hazard…
Read MoreMSHA issues safety alert for fall prevention
The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration recently released a safety alert to prevent falls from height to address a lengthy trend of injuries and deaths. According to the agency, 22 miners and contractors have been fatally injured in fall-from-height accidents over the past decade, and more than 1,000 have been disabled or lost time from work over the same…
Read MoreMSHA issues safety alert on personnel carriers
MSHA is reporting that since 2018, there have been seven fatalities involving miners operating personnel carriers. These accidents could have been prevented if mine operators: MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid this type of accident: Source: MSHA
Read MoreMSHA announces mine safety, health training, education funding
The 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…
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