August 1, 2016

Respirable coal mine dust rule enters final phase of implementation

ARLINGTON, Va. – Exactly two years after its landmark rule aimed at preventing black lung disease took effect, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today begins implementing provisions of the third – and final – phase of the rule.

July 27, 2016

US Mine Safety and Health Administration announces results of special impact inspections in June 2016

Who: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration

What: The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that federal inspectors issued 114 citations and four orders during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and six metal and nonmetal mines in June.

Where: MSHA conducted special impact inspections at mines in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

July 18, 2016

MSHA finds nearly all respirable coal dust samplings comply with new standards to lower levels of respirable coal dust

ARLINGTON, Va. – A federal rule to protect the nation’s miners from exposure to dangerous levels of coal mine dust is having a significantly positive impact in Phase II, a recent sampling by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration shows.

July 7, 2016

Cement producer agrees to improve safety at Puerto Rico facilities, pay nearly $300K for 119 MSHA violations

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that cement producer CEMEX de Puerto Rico has agreed to pay $291,722 in penalties, and implement enhanced safety measures at its three MSHA-regulated facilities in Puerto Rico.

July 6, 2016

$8.4M awarded to provide safety and health training to miners in 47 states, Navajo Nation to reduce accidents, injuries and illnesses

ARLINGTON, Va. – Forty-seven states and the Navajo Nation will receive a total of $8,441,000 in funds to support safety and health training courses and other programs to reduce mining accidents, injuries and illnesses, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today.

June 30, 2016

US Mine Safety and Health Administration announces results of special impact inspections in May 2016

Who: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration

What: The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that federal inspectors issued 89 citations during special impact inspections conducted at 13 coal mines and one metal and nonmetal mine in May.

Where: MSHA conducted special impact inspections at mines in Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

June 29, 2016

No mines eligible for a Pattern of Violations, MSHA screening shows

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that – for the first time since reforms began in 2010 – none of the nation’s more than 13,000 mining operations meets the criteria for a Pattern of Violations notice.

June 28, 2016

Founding father of modern mine safety honored at centennial event

BRANSON, Mo. – More than a century ago, a legendary and passionate safety advocate had an extraordinary vision for mine safety. In the early 1900s, mining deaths were practically the rule not the exception. In fact, more than 24,000 coal miners perished in industry accidents between 1900 and 1910.

June 27, 2016

MSHA launches enhanced safety standards enforcement to encourage better examinations by industry’s operators

ARLINGTON, Va. – On July 1, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration will begin enhanced enforcement of “Rules to Live By,” its initiative of standards commonly cited following mine deaths, and nine underground coal mine exam rule standards focused on the greatest risks to miners in underground coal mines.

June 15, 2016

Mine safety chief commemorates MINER Act’s 10th anniversary

WASHINGTON – To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the enactment of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Mine Safety and Health Administration Joseph A. Main issued the following statement:

June 8, 2016

MSHA seeks data on controlling exposure to diesel exhaust in underground mines

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today published a Request for Information on approaches to control and monitor underground miners’ exposures to diesel exhaust. 

June 7, 2016

MSHA proposes rule on workplace examinations that could prevent injuries, fatalities at US metal, nonmetal mines

ARLINGTON, Va. – Michael Jay Nickels was driving a truck at a sand and gravel mine in Valley County, Nebraska, in March 2015, when the vehicle left an elevated roadway on an embankment and headed into a pond – leaving him injured seriously. Two days later, the 44-year-old haul driver succumbed to his injuries.

May 25, 2016

MSHA announces results of April 2016 impact inspections

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 90 citations and three orders during special impact inspections at 10 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in April 2016.

May 12, 2016

MSHA increases attention on safety standards linked to mining deaths, encourages mine operators to monitor compliance

ARLINGTON, Va. – In a meeting with mining industry stakeholders today, the U.S.

May 11, 2016

Global settlement reached between MSHA, Massachusetts mine operator

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today a global settlement with Worcester Sand and Gravel Company, Inc., of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, to resolve citations and orders in three separate dockets. An administrative law judge with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission approved the settlements amounting to $181,200, the largest penalty amounts recovered from a mine operator in New England in the past decade.

April 26, 2016

US Mine Safety and Health Administration announces results of special impact inspections in March 2016

Who: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration

What: The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that federal inspectors issued 157 citations, one order and two safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and six metal and nonmetal mines in March.

Where: MSHA conducted special impact inspections at mines in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

April 7, 2016

Preliminary MSHA data indicate 2015 was safest year in mining history

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today released preliminary data for calendar year 2015, updating the “Mine Safety and Health at a Glance” page. The charts include information on inspections, violations and number of mines and miners. They also show fatality and injury rates for coal, metal and nonmetal, and all mining.

March 31, 2016

MSHA announces results of February impact inspections

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 146 citations and six orders during special impact inspections at 10 coal mines and five metal and nonmetal mines in February.

March 29, 2016

Mine safety alert targets April – the second deadliest month in mining

GRAPEVINE, Texas – Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main announced the agency’s plan to curb mining deaths in one of the year’s deadliest months. The announcement came at the 34th Annual South Central Joint Mine Health & Safety Conference in Grapevine.

March 22, 2016

MSHA chief notes dramatic accomplishments, challenges in mine safety

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In Nashville today, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main highlighted the measurable improvements that have taken place in mine safety and health in the past five years.