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Mine Safety and Health At a Glance 1/27/2012
U.S.
Department of Labor Mine Safety
and Health Administration Safety
and health in America’s mining industry made significant strides during the
20th century and over the last 25 years in particular. In 1978, the first year the Mine Safety and
Health Administration (MSHA) operated under the new Mine Safety and Health Act
of 1977, 242 miners died in mining accidents.
Although CY 2009 saw a record low of 34 fatalities reported, a coal mine
explosion in CY 2010 that killed 29 miners pushed the total fatalities in CY
2010 to 71. MSHA’s culture of
prevention embeds safety and health as core values in all initiatives and
ongoing activities. Inspectors are
trained to direct their efforts to those areas or activities that are most
likely to place miners at risk. Strong
enforcement is supplemented by helping mine operators understand the law and
how to comply with the law’s requirements.
MSHA’s Technical Support Division applies scientific and engineering
solutions to mitigate hazards. The
agency’s Educational Policy Development Division provides education and
training for the mining industry which is crucial to the reduction of accidents
and illnesses. MSHA ensures that its
training specialists and technical support personnel are readily accessible to
the mining industry.
All Mine
Safety and Health
CY
Coal Mine
Safety and Health
U.S. coal mine production reached the highest levels in history in recent years. Although 2009 coal mining fatalities were a record low of 18, in 2010, a coal mine explosion that killed 29 miners pushed total fatalities to 48. MSHA continues to work to bring fatalities down through strong enforcement, active outreach and education, and technical support to the mining industry.
Metal
and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health Fatalities in the metal and nonmetal
mining industry rose in 2010 to 23, up from a record low of 16 in 2009. Metal and nonmetal mining includes production
of metals such as gold and copper, nonmetals such as salt and phosphate, and
production of stone, sand and gravel.
Mining techniques and conditions are diverse and differ substantially
from the coal sector. Most metal and
nonmetal operations are small. MSHA has
focused on small mines and formed partnerships to aid in accident reduction,
and continues to work to bring fatalities down through strong enforcement,
active outreach and education, and technical support to the mining industry. CY
For
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