MSHA – Mine Fatality #10

Original article published by MSHA

MINE FATALITY – On March 1, 2023, a miner died when the bulldozer he was operating went over an embankment, ejecting him from the operator’s cab.

Accident scene where a miner died when the bulldozer he was operating went over an embankment, ejecting him from the operator’s cab.
Photo property of MSHA
Best Practices

Operators should train miners to:

  • Wear a seat belt while operating mobile equipment.
  • Examine ground conditions before beginning work in an area and as ground conditions warrant during the work shift.
  • Operate equipment safely, and to identify and report hazards.
  • Be aware of their position relative to edges of roadways and benches.
Additional Information

This is the tenth fatality reported in 2023, and the third classified as “Machinery.”


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

USDOL announces findings of impact inspections at US mines with histories of repeated health or safety violations

Original article published by MSHA

Inspections resulted in 113 significant and substantial violations, 13 unwarrantable failure findings

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today released the findings of monthly impact inspections at 25 U.S. mines in January and February 2023. MSHA conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to factors that include poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses; and other compliance concerns.
The impact inspections resulted in the issuance of 374 violations and two safeguards, including 113 significant and substantial and 13 unwarrantable failure findings. An S&S violation is one that is reasonably likely to result in a reasonably serious injury or illness. Violations are designated as an unwarrantable failure when an inspector finds aggravated conduct that constitutes more than ordinary negligence. MSHA conducted inspections at mines in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

The impact inspections resulted in the issuance of 374 violations and two safeguards, including 113 significant and substantial and 13 unwarrantable failure findings. An S&S violation is one that is reasonably likely to result in a reasonably serious injury or illness. Violations are designated as an unwarrantable failure when an inspector finds aggravated conduct that constitutes more than ordinary negligence. MSHA conducted inspections at mines in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

“These impact inspections uncovered serious violations, demonstrating that they remain an important enforcement tool to address safety and health issues at mines with poor compliance histories,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “The Mine Safety and Health Administration is focused on identifying conditions that can lead to serious accidents given the number of fatalities the mining industry has experienced so far this year. We will continue to use every tool that Congress gave us to protect miners’ safety and health, and we ask the entire mining community to work with us to eliminate safety and health hazards that can cost miners their lives.”

The details of two of the inspections are listed below:

MSHA conducted an impact inspection on Feb. 1 at Frontier Coal Company, Belcher Branch Mine, in Wyoming County, West Virginia. In October 2022, the mine operator was issued two unwarrantable failure violations for failing to follow the MSHA-approved roof control plan and not conducting an adequate pre-shift examination; unwarrantable failure violations of the same mandatory standards were found during the impact inspection. MSHA inspectors issued 25 citations and 7 orders, finding unwarrantable failure violations for:

  • Failure to comply with the roof control plan because the operator exceeded the maximum cut depth approved by MSHA at a coal face.
  • Failure to conduct adequate workplace examinations, including an adequate examination of the continuous mining machine where MSHA found 11 of 28 water sprays were not working.
  • Miners not wearing proximity detection system equipment—technology that can prevent pinning, crushing, and striking accidents—and a faulty machine mounted PDS component which prevented the system from functioning properly.
  • Failure to identify and clean up loose coal and coal dust in active travelways.

When a mine operator takes an unauthorized deep cut, it puts miners at risk of potential roof and rib fall hazards. Conducting adequate workplace examinations is necessary to identify and eliminate hazards that can jeopardize miners’ safety and health.

MSHA – Mine Fatality #11

Original article published by MSHA

MINE FATALITY – On March 9, 2023, a truck driver died when the tractor’s rear wheels ran over him.  A front-end loader struck the tractor-trailer from behind, causing the tractor to move forward.

Accident scene where a truck driver died when the tractor’s rear wheels ran over him.  A front-end loader struck the tractor-trailer from behind, causing the tractor to move forward.
Photo property of MSHA
Best Practices
  • Do not leave mobile equipment unattended unless the transmission is in the park position, and parking brakes of all units in a combination vehicle are set.
  • Chock or turn wheels of mobile equipment into a bank when parked on a grade.
  • Never position yourself in hazardous areas around mobile equipment.
Additional Information

This is the 11th fatality reported in 2023, and the second classified as “Powered Haulage.”


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Preventing Falls from Height – Safety Alert

Original article published by MSHA

In the last ten years, 22 miners and contractors have been fatally injured and
over 1,000 have been disabled or lost time from work in fall-from-height accidents.

Fall from height accidents result in over 100 fatal and serious injuries every year. Prevent these injuries by providing walkways and platforms with handrails that provide safe access, and by using adequate fall protection.

Fall from height accidents result in over 100 fatal and serious injuries every year. Prevent these injuries by providing walkways and platforms with handrails that provide safe access, and by using adequate fall protection.

Los accidentes por caídas desde altura provocan cada año más de 100 lesiones graves y mortales. Prevenga estas lesiones dotando a las pasarelas y plataformas de barandillas que permitan un acceso seguro, y utilizando una protección contra caídas adecuada.

Best Practices
  • Reduce hazards. Design work areas and develop job tasks to minimize fall hazards.
  • Have a program. Establish an effective fall prevention and protection program. Provide task and site-specific hazard training that prohibits working at unprotected locations.
  • Provide fall protection to each miner who may work at an elevated height, or a location unprotected by handrails. Ensure their use.
  • Provide secure anchor points.
  • Provide mobile or stationary platforms or scaffolding at locations and on work projects where there is a risk of falling.
  • Provide safe truck tarping and bulk truck hatch access facilities.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Hazardous Chemicals Health & Safety Alert

Original article published by MSHA
PDF Version:
Recent train derailments and chemical spills, including several incidents on mine sites, have increased the importance of maintaining awareness about hazardous chemicals used in mining. Miners working with and around chemicals can be exposed to hazards that result in injuries or illnesses from exposure to chemicals.  Safe handling of chemicals can prevent accidents, injuries, and illnesses.
Accident scene store hazardous, flammable, and combustible materials in a manner that minimizes dangers to miners.
Photo property of MSHA
Best Practices

Operators should:

  • Store hazardous, flammable, and combustible materials in a manner that minimizes dangers to miners.
  • Warn against potential hazards; caution against unsafe practices; and provide instructions on the proper use of personal protective equipment.
  • Provide miners personal protective equipment to use, such as gloves, safety glasses or goggles, and NIOSH-approved respirators, as applicable.
  • Train miners on the task to be performed; on working with or near chemical hazards; and performing appropriate emergency response procedures.
  • Provide miners a safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they may be exposed to during each work shift.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA – Mine Fatality #6

Original article published by MSHA

MINE FATALITY – On January 30, 2023, a miner died while troubleshooting a belt conveyor when he fell through a 37-inch-long by 34-inch-wide hole created by the removal of a section of grating.  The miner fell approximately 35 feet from the catwalk to the ground below.

Accident scene where a miner died while troubleshooting a belt conveyor when he fell through a 37-inch-long by 34-inch-wide hole created by the removal of a section of grating.
Photo property of MSHA

Best Practices

Operators should:

  • Provide fall protection where there is a danger of falling and train miners on its proper use.
  • Replace guarding/grating that protects temporary access openings as soon as completing work.
  • Conduct workplace examinations and immediately correct any unsafe conditions.

Additional Information

This is the sixth fatality reported in 2023, and the first classified as “Slip or Fall of Person.”


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA – Mine Fatality #3

Original article published by MSHA

MINE FATALITY – On January 23, 2023, a utility management miner died, and another miner was seriously injured, while removing unused waterline pipe suspended from a mine roof.  The two miners were using hand tools to remove a pipe fitting when the waterline pipe suddenly came apart, striking the victim.

Accident scene where a utility management miner died, and another miner was seriously injured, while removing unused waterline pipe suspended from a mine roof.
Photo property of MSHA

Best Practices

Operators should:

  • Release stored energy and pressure from pipes (block and bleed) before breaking a pipe connection.
  • Lock out, tag out, and block equipment from movement before performing maintenance or repairs.
  • Train miners in the safe performance of their tasks.

Additional Information

This is the third fatality reported in 2023, and the first classified as “Hand Tools.”


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA – Electrical Safety Alert

Original article published by MSHA

Always Stay Out of the Line of (Electrical) Fire

Three Miners Electrocuted in Ten Days

Electrical-Safety-Alert.pdf

Alerta de seguridad eléctrica.pdf

On January 27, 2023, two truck drivers were electrocuted after an overhead power line came in contact with their trucks.  They exited the cabs of their trucks and came in contact with electrical energy.

On February 6, 2023, a haul truck driver raised the truck bed into an overhead power line.  The driver exited the truck to extinguish a fire on the truck’s tire and was electrocuted when he tried to reenter the truck.

Always Stay Out of the Line of (Electrical) Fire, three Miners Electrocuted in Ten Days, the power line voltage is 14,400.
Photo property of MSHA
Best Practices
  • Do not stage, park or position trucks, cranes, or other equipment under overhead power lines.
  • Post warning signs at all approaches to overhead power lines; install barricades where necessary.
  • Establish safe approaches and create safe zones for raising and lowering truck beds, booms, and masts.
  • If your truck, boom, or mast contacts an overhead power line:
    • Remain inside the vehicle
    • Call emergency response personnel
    • Inform others to stay away
    • Exit the truck only if it is on fire.  To exit, jump from the truck landing with both feet together.  Do not touch the truck and ground at the same time.  Then, shuffle both feet as close as possible for at least 30 feet as you move away from the truck.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA offers safety info app in Spanish

Original article published by Safety+Health

mining-logo.jpg

Photo: Mine Safety and Health Administration

Arlington, VA — Now available in Spanish: a Mine Safety and Health Administration mobile app designed to promptly deliver safety and health information to miners and other members of the mining industry.

Users must switch their phone settings to Spanish to use the free resource in that language, the agency says.

The app features five main sections: Safety Topics, Health Topics, Miners’ Rights, About MSHA and Contact Us.

“Spanish-speaking miners throughout the United States now have access to important mine safety and health information and their rights as miners in the palm of their hands,” MSHA administrator Chris Williamson said in a press release, adding that the app is “a resource that empowers miners and helps them play active roles in mine safety and health.”

The app is available for iPhone and Android devices.


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA: Miner deaths decrease overall, but machinery-related fatalities up

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo property of MSHA

Arlington, VA — The “collective effort” of mine industry workers and stakeholders in 2022 contributed to a 21.6% decrease in worker deaths over the previous year, Mine Safety and Health Administration head Chris Williamson said during a recent conference call.

MSHA recorded 29 miner deaths in 2022 – eight fewer than in 2021. During the call with agency stakeholders on Jan. 25, Williamson said the decrease represents “a lot of hard work from a lot of people: industry, labor, grantees, others that are involved in the industry, and of course our own MSHA employees and all the work that we do at MSHA.”

Still, Marcus Smith, chief of MSHA’s Accident Investigations Division, presented data showing that 10 fatal incidents in 2022 involved machinery – up from eight the previous year and four in 2018.

“That represents an upward trend,” Smith said. “That’s something that we need to take notice of. We need to be aware of and work together to prevent these types of accidents.”

Smith named the top three root causes of machinery-related fatalities over the past five years. These involved the failure of the mine operator to:

  • Provide adequate training.
  • Ensure that guards were in place while equipment was in operation.
  • Block equipment against hazardous motion before performing repairs or maintenance.

MSHA advises mine operators to develop and implement written procedures to assure MSHA-required training is provided.

Also discussed during the call:

“There’s no reason for any mine to ever be put on a POV, just to be honest,” Williamson said. “Because we have a POV calculator on our website and we have a [significant and substantial violations] calculator on our website.”

The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 authorizes MSHA to issue POV notices to operators who “demonstrate a disregard for the health and safety of miners through a pattern of significant and substantial violations.”

  • MSHA in January launched a Facebook page. “We’ll be posting a lot of good information on there,” Williamson said.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.