Figures released Wednesday by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) revealed that 2012 had the lowest fatality and injury rates in the history of U.S. mining, along with the lowest rate of contractor fatalities since the agency began calculating those rates in 1983.
Court orders company to drop suit against fired employee
July 9, 2013
An administrative law judge has ruled that a Madisonville, Ky., mining company violated the anti-discrimination provisions of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 when it sued a miner for filing a discrimination complaint with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) following his job termination.
Regulation came after multiple-fatality mine disasters
July 8, 2013
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently upheld a decision that the failure to maintain emergency lifelines in a manner for miners to use effectively is a significant and substantial violation of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, regardless of the likelihood of a mine emergency actually occurring at the time of the violation.
A federal rule restricting workers’ compensation claims to black lung diagnoses based only on film radiographs has been updated to embrace the digital age. The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs has published for public comment a direct final rule and a companion proposed rule adopting updated standards for administering and interpreting digital radiographs for the Federal Black Lung Program.
A mine worker who died because of a missing part on a circuit breaker was the subject of a $211,002 settlement reached last month with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the U.S. Lime Co., the worker’s employer.
Mining, construction, oil and gas industries dangerous all over
June 11, 2013
An engineer in Scotland who was fired after being injured on the job has been awarded £70,000 (about $100,000) by a court in Edinburgh. David Hynds suffered a spinal injury when a one ton cutting tool fell on him, trapping him between a girder support and the ground.
New anchorage connectors offer fall protection specifically for mining industry
June 5, 2013
Capital Safety, home of the DBI-SALA® and PROTECTA® brands of fall protection equipment, introduces the Saflok® Hybrid Mining Swivel Anchor and the Saflok® Mining Bolt Anchor, two anchorage connectors designed to offer the best underground protection for workers employed in mining or tunneling applications.
NIOSH research related to improved illumination in underground mines could be a key to reducing the second leading accident class of nonfatal lost-time injuries—slips, trips, and falls.
The International Council on Mining & Minerals (ICMM) has released the report of the Health and Safety Conference held in Santiago, Chile, in November 2012. The conference brought together 19 companies, over 300 delegates and five chief executives to share lessons and learn from each other.
Results show "a positive trend in overall mine safety and health"
April 29, 2013
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) says the 155 citations and two orders issued by federal inspectors during last month's special impact inspections represent the lowest number of orders issued during targeted monthly inspections over nearly three years.