In the very hours I write this column, the American mining community is marking Stand Down to Save Lives, an annual initiative called by federal regulators to bring attention to the need for eliminating safety and health hazards and mine sites. In its May 13 announcement of the May 22 effort MSHA noted that, at that time, 12 fewer miners…
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MSHA reports fifth fatality of 2024
MSHA reported that on May 8, a miner at U.S. Aggregates’ Flat Rock Plant, Shelby County, Ind., was electrocuted while unloading a roll of belt from a trailer. The miner was performing rigging duties when the crane boom contacted an overhead high-voltage powerline. This is the fifth fatality reported in 2024, and the first classified as “Electrical.” MSHA recommends the following best…
Read MoreMSHA April impact inspections yield 247 violations
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) completed impact inspections at 15 mines in 11 states in April, issuing 247 violations and two safeguards. Out of these violations, 67 were considered significant and substantial.
Read MoreMSHA chief calls on mining industry to remain vigilant
MSHA Assistant Secretary Chris Williamson has penned the following open letter to the mining community. Dear Members of the Mining Community:Last year, as the mining industry experienced a troubling increase in fatal accidents, I asked the mining community to join the Mine Safety and Health Administration in identifying and eliminating safety and health hazards that can cost miners their lives.…
Read MoreMSHA reports fourth fatality of 2024
MSHA reported that on April 15, a miner at Riverbend Sand and Gravel, Weld, Colo., died when the tail section of a collapsible belt conveyor fell and pinned him between the tail section and middle section. The miner was working as part of a crew to tear down the conveyor in preparation to be moved. This is the fourth fatality…
Read MoreMSHA issues nearly 200 violations in March
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) said it completed impact inspections at 14 mines in 11 states in March, issuing 199 violations and one safeguard. Of the March violations, 74 were evaluated as significant and substantial and four had an unwarrantable failure finding. The agency completed these inspections at mines in Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,…
Read MoreAnalyzing conveyor belt wear from loading and cleaning
How can an operation stay ahead of wear? Is there such a thing as a CliffsNotes for conveyor belt cleaning and maintenance? How can damage be mitigated? R. Todd Swinderman uncovers that and more for NAM. Most conveyor belts in mines and quarries are considered operating in “severe duty” and typically don’t just wear out. They’re exposed to raw material…
Read MoreMSHA safety alerts: Electric arc flashes, customer truck drivers
MSHA has reported that in the last six months, 11 miners received injuries due to electric arc flashes. In one instance, two miners were injured by an arc flash while performing maintenance on a breaker box; another, two contract miners received burns while checking the rotation on a transformer. The agency recommends the following best practices to avoid this type…
Read MoreIndustry mourns Peluso passing
Editor’s note: the following remembrance has been supplied. It has been edited for clarity. On February 15, 2024, after 85 and a half amazing years, Robert Guy “Bob” Peluso passed away peacefully with his family by his side. Bob was renowned in the mining industry for his expertise regarding mine safety and played an important role in that arena, whether…
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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