TROY, NY – An upstate New York court accepted a mine manager’s guilty plea today to manslaughter in the second degree, a Class C felony. Anthony Valente, a mine manager at a Grafton limestone quarry, admitted to causing Darren Miller’s death in October 2022 by recklessly disregarding and overriding safety features of a crane Valente was operating, which resulted in a piece of the crane striking Miller, a 35-year-old mechanic, and causing his death. The manager agreed to serve a six-month jail sentence and five years of probation.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued a final rule to better protect the nation’s miners from health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica, also known as silica dust or quartz dust.  

WASHINGTON: El Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. ha anunciado hoy que su Administración de Seguridad y Salud Minera (Mine Safety and Health Administration, MSHA) ha publicado una norma definitiva para proteger mejor a los mineros del país de los peligros para la salud asociados a la exposición a la sílice cristalina respirable, también conocida como polvo de sílice o polvo de cuarzo. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 13 mines in nine states in February 2024, identifying 207 violations.

The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Federal Black Lung Program will host three outreach events in West Virginia on March 19-21, 2024, for current and former coal miners disabled by black lung disease, and their families, to file or refile claims for benefits. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’ today announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration has unveiled an online platform to help miners and their families navigate the process of finding healthcare providers, facilities and related resources.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 15 mines in 10 states in January 2024, issuing 188 violations.

The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today released the results of its second 2023 pattern of violations screening to identify chronic violators and mine operators demonstrating a disregard for the health and safety of miners. This was the first time that the agency conducted more than one POV screening in a single calendar year.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 16 mines in 11 states in December 2023, issuing 247 violations.

The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 14 mines in 10 states in November 2023, issuing 184 violations and one safeguard.

The agency began impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule from its Mine Safety and Health Administration to help protect miners from accidents, injuries and fatalities related to surface mobile equipment.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 13 mines in 10 states in October 2023, issuing 215 violations.

MSHA began impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 9 mines in 7 states in September 2023, issuing 123 violations.

Employers:      Duckels Construction Inc., Fred Duckels, owner 

Actions:           U.S. Mine Safety and Health Act consent order and judgment 

Court:               U.S. District Court of Colorado 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration is holding its annual Training Resources Applied to Mining conference in Beaver, West Virginia, from Oct. 10 to 12.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration has awarded more than $10.5 million in grants to reduce mining accidents, injuries and illnesses by supporting programs such as safety and health courses. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 14 mines in 10 states in August, issuing 246 violations.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $1 million in grants to nine organizations in seven states to support education and training initiatives that will help identify and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around the nation’s mines.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation will host two outreach events in Alabama on Sept. 20 and 21, 2023, for current and former coal miners and their survivors to file or re-file benefit claims for those disabled by black lung disease. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 15 mines in 12 states in July 2023, issuing 288 violations and four safeguard notices. MSHA began impact inspections after an explosion killed 29 miners at West Virginia’s Upper Big Branch Mine in 2010.