As an 11-year veteran of the Mine Safety and Health Administration and a member of MSHA’s Mine Emergency Unit since 2007, I have responded to a number of mine fires and explosions around the country, the most disastrous being the Upper Big Branch blast in 2010 that killed 29 coal miners.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs has issued a final rule that revises the Black Lung Benefits Act in order to give miners greater access to their health information.
The failure of a mine rescue mission on Sunday in northern Russia left six rescue workers and 26 miners dead. The miners had been trapped underground by a cave-in caused by methane explosions and fires.
A new study at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) underscores the importance of anticipating respiratory disease, including black lung disease and loss of lung function, in former coal miners to allow them to receive an appropriate diagnosis and medical care.
The conviction last week of former Massey Energy Co. CEO Don Blankenship on charges related to the 2010 disaster at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia will hopefully keep miners alive going forward, according to United Mine Workers of America International (UMWA) President Cecil E. Roberts.
Prosecutor: It's a "landmark day" for coal miner safety
December 3, 2015
In an outcome described as “unprecedented” by a federal prosecutor, former Massey Energy Co. CEO Don Blankenship was found guilty of violating safety regulations at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, which led to the 2010 explosion that killed 29 workers.
New comm system can track movements of underground teams
November 18, 2015
Earlier this month, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Central Plains Cement Company and Missouri Department of Labor’s Mine Cave Safety Program joined forces to stage a mine rescue exercise at Eagle Materials Inc.’s underground mine in Sugar Creek, Mo.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) summary of U.S. mining deaths from July 1 through Sept. 30, 2015 shows seven fatalities occurred in industry accidents. In the first nine months of 2015, 25 fatalities occurred, eight fewer than in the same period in 2014.
In a recent 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.
Historically, October is the deadliest month of the year in the metal and nonmetal mining industry. Since 2000, 51 fatalities occurred during the month, many of which involved powered haulage and machinery accidents at a time when mines prepare for seasonal changes.