Eighteen miners have suffered fatal workplace injuries at U.S. mines so far this year. That’s six more than at this same time last year, prompting the Department of Labor to hold its inaugural “Stand Down to Save Lives.”
This event will be held May 17 as part of a national campaign to encourage the mining community to take steps to prevent injuries and illnesses and stop “an alarming rise in the number of miners killed on the job in 2023.”
As part of the event, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will be calling on the mining industry to increase its focus on training, workplace examinations and other requirements meant to protect miners. MSHA is calling for miners, mine operators and unions to set aside time during the week of May 15-19 to focus on the importance of safety and health in U.S. mines.
On May 17, MSHA leaders will visit mines in Maryland and Virginia to stress the importance of safety in the workplace.
The “Stand Down to Save Lives” follows an open letter Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson issued April 14, 2023, to the mining community. In the letter, Williamson urged “everyone to work together to stay vigilant to prevent accidents and fatalities.”
MSHA has introduced a webpage for the event with resources for the mining community, including a toolkit for use during the week’s events.
According to MSHA, participating mine operators should focus on how to improve on:
- safety and health programs
- maintenance of equipment, and
- hazard reporting.
The agency said supervisors and managers should think about how to improve training and workplace examinations. They should also ask themselves if they’ve addressed any concerns raised prior to the start of their shift.
Miners should ask themselves if they have properly fitted PPE and are they fully trained on the equipment they’re operating.