States to Receive $7.9 M for Mine Safety Training

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration recently announced more than $7.9 million in grants to provide mine safety and health training and education to miners in 49 states and the Navajo Nation.

“Thousands of miners nationwide stand to benefit from the safety and health training these grants provide,” said David Dye, acting assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “Even though mining fatalities are at record lows, we will not waver in our efforts to further reduce accidents and injuries in the mines. Through the proper training and education of our nation’s miners, we can move even closer to our ultimate goal of zero mining fatalities.”

Grantees use the funds to provide federally mandated training to miners. The grants cover training and retraining of miners working at surface and underground coal and metal mines, as well as miners who engage in shell dredging or are employed at surface stone-mining operations.

Some state recipients have developed videos, DVDs, and other training materials through the grants. Other states have assisted mine operators to produce training plans addressing topics covered under federal regulations.

Past training topics have included hazard recognition, accident prevention, occupational health, roof and ground control, ventilation, mine rescue, mine emergency operations, and certification for various jobs ranging from electricians to hoisting engineers.

States apply for the grants, which are administered by state mine inspectors’ offices, state departments of labor, or state-supported colleges and universities. Each grant recipient tailors the program to the needs of the state’s miners and provides technical assistance.

The state grant program started in 1969 under the Coal Mine Safety and Health Act. The 1977 amendments to the act authorized the Mine Safety and Health Administration to spend up to $10 million annually to assist states in providing health and safety training to miners.