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…
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MSHA 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…
Read MoreMSHA impact inspections target 25 mines
The 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 MoreMSHA reports 11th fatality
MSHA reported that on March 9, a truck driver died at United States Lime & Minerals Inc.’s Johnson County, Texas, location when the tractor’s rear wheels ran over him. A front-end loader struck the tractor-trailer from behind, causing the tractor to move forward. This is the 11th fatality reported in 2023, and the second classified as “Powered Haulage.” MSHA recommends the following best practices…
Read MoreWe have to know what we’re doing, because they don’t always get it
By Willa B. Perlmutter Let me tell you about an experience I had with a Labor Department lawyer earlier this month. It was one of those experiences that made me realize how important it is for those of us in the mining industry to have a good working knowledge of the Mine Act and how enforcement is supposed to work.…
Read MoreMSHA reports second fatality of 2023
MSHA reported that on Jan.17, a miner at Taiheiyo Cement Corp.’s Mojave Plant & Quarry, Kern County, Calif., was fatally injured when his personal car collided with a customer truck. Both vehicles were traveling toward each other in opposite directions on an icy mine access road. This is the second fatality reported in 2023, and the first classified as “Powered Haulage.”…
Read MoreMSHA issues safety alert after rash of electrocutions
The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration is reminding miners to stay clear of the line of electrical fires after three miners were electrocuted in a 10-day period. The agency said that, on January 27, two truck drivers were electrocuted after an overhead power line came in contact with their trucks. They exited their cabs only to come in contact…
Read MoreMSHA reports on December 2022 fatality
MSHA reported that on Dec. 16, 2022, a contract mechanic at Signal Peak Silica of Atascosa in Poteet, Texas, died while removing the counterweight of an excavator, when it fell and struck him. This was the 29th fatality reported in 2022, and the 10th classified as “Machinery.” MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid this type of accident: Block machinery components against motion…
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