WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections in September 2024 at eight mines in Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin and issued 112 violations.
The agency conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. Of the 112 violations MSHA identified in September 2024, 24 were evaluated by inspectors as significant and substantial. The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners.
Since 2023, MSHA’s impact inspections have identified 4,679 violations, including 1,285 significant and substantial and 87 unwarrantable failure findings. An S&S violation is one that is reasonably likely to cause a reasonably serious injury or illness. Violations designated as unwarrantable failures occur when an inspector finds aggravated conduct that constitutes more than ordinary negligence.
“September 2024 impact inspections identified hazards such as lack of personal protective equipment and inadequate machine guarding. These important protections keep miners safe and prevent serious accidents,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “The Biden-Harris administration continues to demonstrate that impact inspections remain an important tool to hold operators accountable and eliminate hazards that put miners’ safety and health at risk.”
Read the full news release now: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/msha/msha20241031