In last month’s column, I spotlighted the job losses of many gifted researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), many of which are key contributors to the future of mining more safely and with better health behaviors. The layoffs, triggered by governmental cuts from the DOGE program, also have included agencies such as the Mine Safety…
Read MoreMore than 100 employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will be permanently reinstated – a crucial development after months of uncertainty that threatened the agency’s workforce and core safety programs. The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) led a nationwide campaign to defend NIOSH. “This is not just a win for NIOSH – it’s a win…
Read MoreUnited States Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia confirmed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will construct its new Underground Mine Safety and Health Research Program facility in the southern town of Mace, east of Charleston. Funding for the design and construction of the campus site…
Read MoreMissouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) researchers have revealed they are conducting research using a Boston Dynamics Spot robot dog to help in the often-perilous conditions found during mine emergencies. University senior Dustin Peterson recently supported a research project entitled “Research, Technological Innovations and Human Factors for Effective Miner Self-Escape from Underground Mine Emergencies,” part of a $4…
Read MoreAnnual October meeting returning to Pittsburgh host venue As this issue of NAM goes to press, final plans are being made for the annual joint meeting of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Society for Metallurgy, Mining and Exploration (SME) and the Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America (PCMIA) for the 2022 meeting in Pittsburgh, Pa. Registration is advancing well for…
Read MoreThe annual joint meeting of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Society for Metallurgy, Mining and Exploration (SME) and the Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America (PCMIA) has set its dates for the 2022 meeting in Pittsburgh, Pa., and has opened registrations for attendees. The event will return to the Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe in Canonsburg, just south of Pittsburgh, from…
Read MoreThe National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is planning free, confidential black lung screenings to coal miners in August in Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia. Screenings are provided through the NIOSH mobile testing unit at convenient community and mine locations. All coal miners – current, former, underground, surface, and those under contract – are welcome to participate. Participation…
Read MoreThe National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) launched version 2.0 of the ErgoMine app, an on-the-ground resource for mine workers and mine safety and health professionals, this spring. The auditing app helps to identify, record and track ergonomics and safety hazards that can lead to injuries, illnesses and fatalities at the worksite.
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