October 6, 2015

Commission decision reinstates MSHA's POV authority over Brody Mining

ARLINGTON, Va. – In a Sept. 29 ruling, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission overturned an administrative law judge's decision that invalidated an enforcement action taken two years ago against a West Virginia coal mine operator. Using one of its toughest enforcement tools, the Mine Safety and Health Administration issued a pattern of violations notice to Brody Mining LLC of Wharton in October 2013.

October 5, 2015

MSHA News Release: MSHA initiative to combat 'deadliest month' for miners [10/05/2015]

see text description below.

A front-end loader operator died when caught between the bucket of an excavator and the conveyor frame as he attempted to move at a sand and gravel operation.

October 5, 2015

MSHA initiative to combat 'deadliest month' for miners

Safety alert addresses seasonal preparation incidents

see text description below.

A front-end loader operator died when caught between the bucket of an excavator and the conveyor frame as he attempted to move at a sand and gravel operation.

October 1, 2015

MSHA announces public hearings on proposed rule for proximity detection systems on mobile mine machines

Funds provide U.S. mine workers with safety and health training

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration will hold four public hearings on its proposed rule for Proximity Detection Systems for Mobile Machines in Underground Coal Mines.

September 30, 2015

MSHA News Release: MSHA awards $8.4M in state grants in 47 states [09/30/2015]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration has awarded $8,441,000 in grant funding to 47 states and the Navajo Nation to reduce mining accidents, injuries and illnesses by supporting safety and health training courses and other programs.

September 30, 2015

MSHA awards $8.4M in state grants in 47 states

Funds provide U.S. mine workers with safety and health training

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration has awarded $8,441,000 in grant funding to 47 states and the Navajo Nation to reduce mining accidents, injuries and illnesses by supporting safety and health training courses and other programs.

September 29, 2015

MSHA News Release: MSHA awards $1M in mine safety grants in five states [09/29/2015]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today awarded $1 million through its Brookwood-Sago grants program to seven organizations that provide education and training within the mining industry. The funding will develop and implement training and related materials for mine emergency preparedness, and help prevent accidents in underground mines.

The list of recipients and the amount of funding they will receive are as follows:

September 29, 2015

MSHA awards $1M in mine safety grants in five states

Funding to focus on resources for mine emergency preparedness, accident prevention

September 28, 2015

MSHA News Release: US Mine Safety and Health Administration announces results of special impact inspections at 21 mines in August [09/28/2015]

Who: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration

What: The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that federal inspectors issued 193 citations and 13 orders during special impact inspections conducted at 14 coal mines and seven metal and nonmetal mines in August.

Where: MSHA conducted special impact inspections at mines in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

September 28, 2015

US Mine Safety and Health Administration announces results of special impact inspections at 21 mines in August

Who: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration

What: The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that federal inspectors issued 193 citations and 13 orders during special impact inspections conducted at 14 coal mines and seven metal and nonmetal mines in August.

Where: MSHA conducted special impact inspections at mines in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

September 18, 2015

MSHA News Release: National coal mine rescue competition winners for 2015 announced [09/18/2015]

104th annual safety event challenged 65 teams from 12 US states

ARLINGTON, Va. — Testing their readiness for worst-case mine rescue scenarios, 65 teams from 12 states put their skills and knowledge to work in the 2015 National Coal Mine Rescue, First Aid, Bench and Preshift Competition in Lexington, Kentucky this week.

September 16, 2015

MSHA News Release: MSHA, Murray Energy reach global settlement of 1,753 violations issued to five mines previously owned by Consol Energy [09/16/2015]

Judge approves settlement, Murray to pay $3.3 million in penalties

WASHINGTON — Resolving 1,753 safety violations at five northern West Virginia mines and an initial assessment of $5.1 million in federal fines, an administrative law judge has approved a settlement between the mines' new owner and the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration.

September 16, 2015

MSHA, Murray Energy reach global settlement of 1,753 violations issued to five mines previously owned by Consol Energy

WASHINGTON – Resolving 1,753 safety violations at five northern West Virginia mines and an initial assessment of $5.1 million in federal fines, an administrative law judge has approved a settlement between the mines' new owner and the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration.

September 1, 2015

MSHA proposes rule to prevent crushing, pinning deaths and injuries

ARLINGTON, Va. – Haulage machinery in underground coal mines – such as shuttle cars, ram cars and scoops – would have to be equipped with technology that prevents miners from becoming struck, pinned or crushed, as per a proposed rule from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

September 1, 2015

MSHA News Release: MSHA proposes rule to prevent crushing, pinning deaths and injuries [09/01/2015]

Rule would require proximity detection devices on coal-haulage equipment underground

ARLINGTON, Va. — Haulage machinery in underground coal mines — such as shuttle cars, ram cars and scoops — would have to be equipped with technology that prevents miners from becoming struck, pinned or crushed, as per a proposed rule from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

August 25, 2015

MSHA announces results of July impact inspections

ARLINGTON, Va. The Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 225 citations and six orders during special impact inspections at 15 coal mines and six metal and nonmetal mines in July.

August 25, 2015

MSHA News Release: MSHA announces results of July impact inspections [08/25/2015]

Hazards cited at Nebraska operation mirror those found following March fatality

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 225 citations and six orders during special impact inspections at 15 coal mines and six metal and nonmetal mines in July.

August 18, 2015

MSHA News Release: One-year anniversary of respirable coal dust rule shows reforms are working [08/18/2015]

ARLINGTON, Va. — One year ago this month, the landmark respirable dust rule went into effect, adding a number of increased protections for coal miners and closing several loopholes that masked their exposure to unhealthy coal mine dust.

August 18, 2015

One-year anniversary of respirable coal dust rule shows reforms are working

MSHA's Main: Miners better protected with industry compliance at 99 percent