The U.S. Department of Labor released the results of the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) second Pattern of Violations screening in 2024 and announced that for the first time since 2021, none of the nation’s mines met the POV criteria for the existence of a pattern of violations under section 104(e) of the Mine Act. Full story.
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MSHA reports two more fatalities
MSHA reported that on Nov. 5, a miner at Samuel G. Hurworth in Crane County, Texas, died when the haul truck he was operating over travelled a dump point. The edge of the dump point failed, causing the haul truck to travel backwards, overturn and land on the roof of the cab. Full story.
Read MoreMSHA final rule promotes innovative, advanced technologies
On Dec. 10, MSHA published a final rule that allows the use of eight voluntary consensus standards approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for electric mining equipment approvals. This final rule allows product manufacturers and designers seeking MSHA approval to follow either the ANSI-approved voluntary consensus standards or the existing MSHA-specific technical requirements. Full story.
Read MoreMSHA completes October impact inspections
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) completed impact inspections in October 2024 at 15 mines in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming and issued 286 violations. Full story.
Read MoreMSHA reports 27th fatality of 2024
MSHA reported that on Nov. 16, a miner at Ervin Hill Enterprises Inc., Highland County, Ohio, died when he became entangled in a log washer. The miner was last seen standing on a deck and using a water hose to wash material out of the log washer to clear a blockage. Full story.
Read MoreMSHA warns about stockpile safety
MSHA reported that recent accidents highlight the risks associated with dump points and stockpiles, especially where stockpile stability and visibility are of concern. Fatalities and serious injuries have occurred when heavy equipment operators traveled or dumped material too close to a stockpile edge or worked too close to the toe of an over-steepened stockpile. Full story.
Read MoreMSHA Reports 25th Fatality of 2024
MSHA reported that on April 13, a front-end loader operator at Martin Marietta Materials’ Morgan County Quarry in Buckhead, Ga., drowned, lying face down in a pool of water. The front-end loader operator was last seen using a water hose to wash material off a concrete pad next to a pool of water. This is the 25th fatality reported in…
Read MoreMSHA issues haul truck rollover safety alert
MSHA reported that on Oct. 9, a 60-ton haul truck was dumping a load of material when the dump point sloughed off, causing the haul truck to slide down and overturn, coming to rest upside down 15 ft. below. The driver was rescued from the truck through the side window of the cab with minor injuries. Full story.
Read MoreMSHA issues safety alert for entrapment
MSHA reported that on Oct. 10,, a bulldozer fell into a feeder when a bridged coal pile collapsed, engulfing the bulldozer and trapping the operator inside the cab. Emergency response efforts were swift and organized, resulting in the successful rescue of the operator. Full story.
Read MoreMSHA issues alert on tire explosion during equipment fire
MSHA reported that on June 14, one firefighter died, and another was injured at Robar Enterprises Inc., Los Angeles, when a front-end loader tire exploded while firefighters fought an equipment fire. MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid this type of accident. In the event of a possible or actual fire (e.g., odor, heat, smoke, flames):
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