Mining/Oil/Gas Archives - Safety+Health Magazine

DOL says it will strengthen oversight of black lung disability benefits

S+H Staff — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:51:44 +0000

Washington — The Department of Labor said it plans to improve information collection and oversight of its Black Lung Benefits Program after a recent report described challenges coal miners face in obtaining federal disability benefits. In the report, the Government Accountability Office wrote that insufficient information collection and monitoring of responsible mine operators’ provision of […]

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MSHA to end ‘outdated’ regulations on equipment and procedures

S+H Staff — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:25:13 +0000

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration will withdraw regulations governing “outdated effective dates and requirements” for various industry equipment and protocol, effective July 27. On June 25, MSHA published multiple final rules stemming from a series of July 1, 2025, proposals that followed an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump that […]

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NIOSH partners with manufacturer to develop silica dust filtration tool

S+H Staff — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:44:48 +0000

Washington — A newly available silica dust filtration system can reduce up to 93% of respirable crystalline silica at mine sites, NIOSH claims. Developed in a partnership between the agency and Benetech Inc., a manufacturer of safe bulk material handling solutions, the Dustinator can be retrofitted onto bins, tanks and conveyor systems to reduce airborne […]

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MSHA cautions miners about ammonia exposure

S+H Staff — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:58:25 +0000

Washington — Miners shouldn’t solely rely on their sense of smell when continuously monitoring for ammonia, the Mine Safety and Health Administration emphasizes in a recent safety alert. A flammable, colorless gas, ammonia has multiple uses on mine sites, including for chemical processing, refrigeration systems, emissions and as a neutralizing agent. MSHA warns that exposure […]

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MSHA emergency preparedness ‘needs to improve’: DOL OIG report

S+H Staff — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:19:49 +0000

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration “may be insufficiently prepared to handle multiple simultaneous mine emergencies” or a larger disaster, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General says. In a recent report, DOL OIG concludes that although industry stakeholders “generally reported positive feedback on MSHA’s response to past mine emergencies,” numerous lingering […]

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Miners’ lawyer pushes for MSHA silica rule during House hearing

Kevin Druley — Tue, 19 May 2026 15:15:40 +0000

Fort Branch, IN — An attorney who represents workers is challenging lawmakers to urge the Mine Safety and Health Administration to restore its final rule on miner exposure to respirable crystalline silica. West Virginia-based attorney Sam Petsonk testified during a May 8 House Education and Workforce Committee field hearing at Vincennes University on the future […]

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Miner injury rate falls to all-time low, MSHA says

S+H Staff — Tue, 12 May 2026 16:16:09 +0000

Washington — Mine workers experienced a record-low injury rate last year, which is “cause for celebration,” Mine Safety and Health Administration head Wayne Palmer says. On April 28, MSHA announced that the all-injury rate – also known as total recordable injury rate – for the mining sector in 2025 was 1.74 per 200,000 hours worked. […]

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MSHA silica rule on hold ‘indefinitely,’ agency says

S+H Staff — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:05:44 +0000

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has delayed “indefinitely” the deadline for metal and nonmetal mine operators to comply with its final rule on miner exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Citing ongoing litigation challenging the rule, the agency on April 6 announced the latest postponement, which affects workers who mine metal, nonmetal, stone, […]

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After miner struck in face, MSHA issues equipment safety alert

S+H Staff — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:02:36 +0000

Washington — Miners should regularly examine equipment motors and belt components for defects, the Mine Safety and Health Administration recommends in a recent safety alert. The alert stems from an incident in which a surface limestone miner suffered serious injuries during a belt-drive motor repair. A tensioner bolt failed, causing it to come loose and […]

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House hearing explores ‘hurdles’ related to federal workers’ comp programs

Alan Ferguson — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 19:56:57 +0000

Washington — Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle met this month to talk about what’s making it hard for some injured workers in the energy sector to receive timely, quality health care under federal workers’ compensation programs. “Many workers’ compensation systems have slowly been eroded,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), ranking member of the House […]

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