MSHA reports second, third fatalities of 2022

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported that on Jan. 7, a 35-year-old continuous mining machine (CMM) operator was fatally injured when he was pinned between the remote controlled CMM and the coal rib; and on Jan. 11, a 32-year-old miner died while driving on a mine road when a tree fell from a highwall onto the cab of his pickup truck. These…

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MSHA’s Proposed Mobile Haulage Rule – Let’s Look Under This Baby’s Hood

By Willa B. Perlmutter The latest big development in the MSHA regulatory space is a proposed rule that would require mine operators to develop and implement written programs that focus on improving the safety of surface mobile equipment. Back in 2018, because of the disproportionately high contribution of mobile equipment to mine fatalities, MSHA asked for input so it could…

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Vaccination pilot program targets miners in Kentucky, Arizona

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a new program designed to encourage COVID-19 vaccination among miners in Kentucky and Arizona. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that vaccination rates are below 60% in the two states where a number of mining operations exist. The department’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will pilot the Mine Vaccine Outreach…

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Increase in MSHA penalties

On January 14, the U.S. Department of Labor published a final rule in the Federal Register that will increase Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) civil monetary penalties by 1.06222%.  The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 requires the department to adjust its civil monetary penalty levels for inflation annually no later than Jan. 15 of…

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Williamson tapped to lead MSHA

The Biden administration has nominated West Virginia native Christopher Williamson for assistant secretary for mine safety and health at the U.S. Department of Labor. Williamson, who will replace David Zatezalo if his nomination is confirmed by the Senate, currently serves as the senior counsel to Chairman Lauren McFerran at the National Labor Relations Board. Prior to his current seat, he…

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Vaccination pilot program targets miners in Kentucky, Arizona

The U.S. Department of Labor announced a new program designed to encourage COVID-19 vaccination among miners in Kentucky and Arizona. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that vaccination rates are below 60% in the two states where a substantial number of mining operations exist. The department’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will pilot the Mine Vaccine Outreach…

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