With snow and ice falling all across the U.S. in early 2023, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is reminding the mining industry of the unique challenges its workers face in the winter.
Winter presents different challenges to miners, who must take extra precautions in the winter months, according to MSHA.
To help keep miners safe during the winter months, the agency is providing general safety posters on different kinds of winter safety for both coal and surface mines.
Some of the safety tips are applicable to any industry – drive slowly and keep space between vehicles and apply sand or salt to walkways to improve traction, for example – but there are several that are specific to mining, such as checking highwalls and benches following freezing or thawing conditions.
The winter weather safety posters MSHA provides are:
- Winter Safety Checklist for Surface Mines
- Coal Mine Winter Safety
- Surface Mine Winter Safety
- Surface Mine Winter Safety: Roadways
- Surface Mine Winter Safety: Walkways
