Mining hazards - Articles

the Mine Safety and Health Administration

OSHA announces proposed rule to reduce silica dust exposure, better protect miners’ health

July 13, 2023

Exposure to mixed coal mine dust that contains respirable crystalline silica can lead to the development of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, commonly known as black lung disease.

Mine operators get warning about nonpayment of safety fines

March 9, 2018

Mine operators with safety violations have failed to pay millions of dollars they owe in penalties – a state of affairs David G. Zatezalo calls “unacceptable.” In a recent op-ed piece in The Intelligencer. Wheeling News-Register, Zatezalo said uncollected fines combined with continued violations “show disregard for the law and our nation’s miners.

New mining safety standard takes a different direction

ISO 19434 is aimed at reducing accidents through classification system

November 7, 2017

A new international standard released by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) classifies mining accidents by type and by cause in an effort to prevent them from happening in the future. Developed by the ISO’s technical committee on mining, ISO 19434 presents a comprehensive mine accidents classification system that lays out a standard scheme for all factors associated with the accidents. It enables a full analysis based on both software systems or manual assessment and uses a common understandable language for communication between all parts involved in safety, health and environment issues in mines.

Mining & electricity: A deadly combo

Maureen Paraventi

May 1, 2017

What is the first category that comes to mind when you think about the hazards that miners face? Chances are it's not electrical, yet electrical accidents are the leading cause of mining fatalities, responsible for more than six percent of all mining industry deaths between 2000 and 2009.

Feds to issue final rule on working place examinations in metal, nonmetal mines

Will cover nearly 250K miners in U.S.

January 20, 2017

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration says it will issue its Final Rule for Examination of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines. The new rule will be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 23, 2017, and go into effect on May 23, 2017.

US mining deaths at an all-time low

25 miners died in work-related accidents last year

January 6, 2017

Preliminary data released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) indicate that in 2016, 25 miners died in work-related accidents at the nation’s mines – down from 29 in 2015. The figure represents the lowest number of mining deaths ever recorded and only the second year that mining deaths dropped below 30.

It’s National Miner’s Day

December 6, 2016

Today is National Miner’s Day, officially proclaimed as such by Congress in 2009. The designation is intended to focus attention on mine workers, who perform one of the most dangerous jobs in America. Miners put their lives at risk each and every day as they contend with health and safety issues as well as their uncertainty of the future.

One month, 157 citations at U.S. mines

May 3, 2016

Federal mine enforcement officers issued 157 citations, one order and two safeguards during the special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and six metal and nonmetal mines in March.

MSHA announces results of July impact inspections

Hazards cited at Nebraska operation mirror those found following March fatality

September 4, 2015

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.

MSHA could amend policy to add training requirements

August 4, 2015

The Mine Safety and Health Administration appears to be readying a new policy that could significantly expand and re-interpret mine operator responsibilities in conducting workplace examinations. On July 9, 2015, MSHA briefly circulated a new program policy letter (PPL) on workplace examinations.