USA: Alarming new data on miner fatalities has prompted the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to recognise the need for improved training.

There have been 15 fatal on-the-job injuries among miners so far in 2021 and seven of those fatalities have involved workers with two years or less of experience.

This data has prompted the MSHA to remind employers of the importance of training.

During a virtual conference call for industry stakeholders, acting administrator for enforcement at MSHA Sam Pierce said the agency is troubled by the data.

“We feel like one fatality is too many but when there’s 15, it’s telling us we need to do something different.”

Five of the fatalities involved workers with one year or less of experience at the activity. The leading classifications in that category are surface and underground powered haulage (seven fatalities) and machinery (three fatalities).

Deputy administrator for enforcement at MSHA Tim Watkins spoke during the conference call about the link between training and decision-making.

“As we look at these fatalities, what sticks out to me is decisions. The decisions that were made to do what they were doing at the time the accident happened.”

“The best way to make good decisions is through training. If you’ve had the proper training, then you’re going to make proper decisions, recognise the hazards.”

According to Watkins, in some cases, people are lacking the experience and training to recognise what is a hazard.

“Some people may look at things and say it’s not a hazard until it’s too late. We do recognise that we have lots of people out there working that have training, but do they really have the in-depth training they need?”

The MSHA is urging employers to train miners to:

• Follow established policies and procedures
• Comply with MSHA-approved plans
• Recognise and eliminate hazards before beginning work.
• Understand safe job procedures and tasks.
• Use personal protective equipment.
• Stay out of hoppers, cyclones, and chutes.

29 miners died on the job in 2020, marking the sixth straight year that annual total loss has remained below 30.

Despite MSHA reporting a significant decrease in deaths related to powered haulage in 2020, fatalities involving this activity represent nearly half of the miner fatalities to date this year. This statistic is similar to what was observed in 2017 and 2018.

Watkins said MSHA is now looking to reinvigorate the powered haulage initiative introduced in 2018.

Personnel from the agency’s educational and enforcement services will start visiting mines in the near future to discuss best practices for incident prevention. They will distribute a new powered haulage sticker for miners and separate fliers covering powered haulage and rollover incidents.

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