WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a proposal by its Mine Safety and Health Administration to amend current federal standards to better protect the nation’s miners from health hazards related to exposure to respirable crystalline silica, or silica dust. The proposed rule change will ensure miners have at least the same level of protections as workers in other industries.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 16 mines in May 2023, issuing 279 violations and one safeguard. MSHA conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries and illnesses; and other compliance concerns.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation will host a series of outreach events on available benefits for current and former coal miners and their survivors in Arizona and New Mexico from June 27 to 29, 2023.

Held in the Four Corners region, the events will help serve members of the Navajo Nation eligible for federal benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 20 mines in 15 states in April 2023 and found 335 violations.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of up to $1 million in grant funding through its Brookwood-Sago grant program, which supports the delivery of education and training to the nation’s mining community to help them identify, avoid and prevent unsafe and unhealthy working conditions.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration will hold its first “Stand Down to Save Lives” on May 17 as part of a national campaign to encourage the nation’s mining community to take steps to prevent injuries and illnesses and stop an alarming rise in the number of miners killed on the job in 2023.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that monthly impact inspections by its Mine Safety and Health Administration at 16 mines in 12 states in March 2023 have identified 205 violations, including 52 significant and substantial findings.

WASHINGTON – On April 28, 1970, the nation first observed Workers Memorial Day at a time when an estimated 38 people died on the job in the U.S. each day. More than a half century later, this annual tribute endures as do the determined efforts of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety and Health Administration to help protect the lives of our nation’s workers.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration is making $10.5 million grant funding available to help provide mine safety training for the nation’s miners.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today released the findings of monthly impact inspections at 25 U.S. mines in January and February 2023. MSHA conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to factors that include poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses; and other compliance concerns.

WASHINGTON – A federal administrative law judge has ordered the operator of mining complexes in southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky to pay civil penalties totaling $349,444 to resolve 533 citations for mine safety and health violations U.S. Department of Labor inspectors identified at 14 mines.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Miner Safety and Health app for iOS and Android devices that provides timely information directly to miners is now available in Spanish.

WASHINGTON – El Departamento de Trabajo de los Estados Unidos anunció hoy que su aplicación Miner Safety and Health para iOS y Android que proporciona información oportuna directamente a los mineros ahora está disponible en español.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a notice of proposed rulemaking by its Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs to revise regulations governing the standards related to self-insurance by coal mine operators.

WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Christopher J. Williamson issued the following statement in recognition of Dec. 6, 2022, as National Miners Day:

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration has notified the operator of the Morton Salt Inc.’s Weeks Island Mine and Mill in New Iberia, Louisiana, of the existence of a pattern of violations of mandatory health or safety standards under section 104(e) of the federal Mine Safety and Health Act.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration is hosting the annual Training Resources Applied to Mining conference at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beaver, West Virginia, from Oct. 11 to 13.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $985,284 in grants to support the development and delivery of education and training by 10 organizations that will help identify, avoid and prevent unsafe working conditions in, and around the nation’s mines.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $10.5 million in grants to organizations in 43 states, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands to provide safety and health training designed to reduce and prevent mining workers’ injuries and illnesses. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an effort to raise awareness of regulations that give coal miners with development of pneumoconiosis, or black lung, the right to work at a section of a mine with lower levels of dust without having their pay reduced or fearing discrimination or termination.