MSHA Announces 2016 National Mine Rescue Competition Winners

MSHA announces 2016 national mine rescue competition winners Agency’s Main notes major improvements in mine emergency response since 2010 ARLINGTON, Va. – A team from Carlsbad, New Mexico, beat out 35 teams from 16 states nationwide to finish first at the 2016 National Metal and Nonmetal Mine Rescue Contest in Reno, Nevada. This year’s winner,…

Utilize Cat Simulators to Increase Safety Awareness

  Is safety on your mind? On the job site, training grounds, for your operators, for the most efficient use of your equipment? If you are like many other customers, your response is “of course.” Consider how the use of simulators may impact your operator training. By incorporating Cat® Simulators in your equipment operator training,…

2016 Metal and Nonmetal National Mine Rescue Contest

Thirty-seven mine rescue teams from 18 states are in Reno participating in the 2016 Metal and Nonmetal National Mine Rescue Contest sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Nevada Mining Association. The contest includes a field competition, first-aid competition and a competition testing multi-gas and self-contained breathing apparatuses.…

Child Safety Awareness

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost half of passenger vehicle occupants who were killed in 2014 were unrestrained, or not wearing a safety belt. Many of these deaths were children. Using the correct car seat or booster seat can be a lifesaver. It is important to make sure children are always buckled…

Inaugural Workers Memorial Day/ Day of Mourning

The Florida Mine Safety Program and the Florida Public Safety Institute held its Inaugural Workers Memorial Day/Day of Mourning for Miners at the Academy Conference Center on April 28, 2016. During the candle light ceremony, a hard hat was presented in remembrance of those lost on the job due to workplace related hazards and accidents…

Mine Rescue Training

The Mine Act requires that every operator of an underground mine assure the availability of mine rescue teams for purposes of emergency rescue and recovery of trapped or injured miners. Mine rescue contests and simulations are an essential part of the training process, and ensure that teams receive hands-on exposure to a range of potential hazards…

MSHA Awards Funds to 47 States and the Navajo Nation

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration awarded 47 states and the Navajo Nation a total of $8,441,000 in funds to support safety and health training courses and other programs to reduce mining accidents, injuries and illnesses. Grant recipients will use the funds to provide miners with federally mandated training with each recipient…

2016 Southeast Region Mine Safety Contest

The Florida Mine Safety Program attended the 2016 Southeast Region Mine Rescue Contest June 20-24 in Maysville, Kentucky. Teams participated in the contest to test and sharpen their skills in response to mining emergencies. See pictures from the event See video from the event

MSHA Leaders Attend 46th Southern Regional Mine Rescue Classic

Along with the Florida Mine Safety Program, MSHA Assistant Secretary Joe Main and Deputy Assistant Secretary Laura McClintock attended the 46th Southern Regional Mine Rescue Classic. The contest was held May 2–5 at the SugArena at Acadiana Fairgrounds in New Iberia, Louisiana. The mine rescue contest allows participants to actively train and test their skills,…

Safety Law Newsletter – May 2016

Six years and one day after an explosion at Upper Big Branch Mine, Raleigh County, WV, claimed the lives of 29 miners, former Massey Energy CEO, Don Blankenship, was sentenced to a year in federal prison and ordered to pay a $250,000.00 fine, an amount well above what the federal sentencing guidelines recommend. Following his…