An alarming trend

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…

Read More

MSHA 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 More

MSHA reports 31st fatality of 2023

MSHA reported that on Sept. 8, a miner at Clyde Holding’s Sewickley Mine, Indiana, Pa., died after entering a hopper to clear an obstruction. A front-end loader dumped two loads of crushed limestone into the hopper with the miner inside. This is the 31st fatality reported in 2023, and the seventh classified as “Powered Haulage.” MSHA recommends the following best…

Read More

MSHA 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 More

MSHA 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 More

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…

Read More