Miner Health Matters: MSHA

Miner Health Matters- MSHA

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) works to prevent mining injuries, illnesses and fatalities, and promote safe and healthful workplaces for all U.S. miners. The agency name and its mission statement make clear that protecting both miners’ safety and health must be a priority.

At MSHA, we take seriously our mandate to conduct inspections; investigate hazard complaints; offer education, training, and compliance assistance; and work together with labor and mine operators to correct safety hazards and prevent accidents. When a near miss or accident occurs, those are visible events that easily capture one’s attention and quickly lead to efforts to focus on safety. However, health hazards that can make miners sick are harder to identify, analyze and address. Moreover, some of the worst occupational illnesses – such as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (black lung disease), silicosis and cancer – develop over time based on miners’ exposure levels and other environmental factors. Click here for the full article on this important topic from MSHA.