MSHA awards grants to states for safety training

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) awarded about $8.4 million in grant funding to 47 states and the Navajo Nation to reduce mining accidents, injuries and illnesses by supporting safety and health training courses and programs.

Recipients of the grant will use the funds to provide miners with federally mandated training. The grants will cover training and retraining miners working at surface and underground coal, metal and nonmetal mines, as well as miners at surface stone, sand and gravel mining operations.

“Training of our nation’s miners is critical to miners’ safety and health, and thousands of miners receive training through these state grants,” says Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health.

According to MSHA, grants were awarded in 2015 based on applications from states, and they are administered by state mine inspectors’ offices, state departments of labor and state-supported colleges and universities. Each recipient tailors the program to the needs of its mines and miners, including mining conditions and hazards miners may encounter. In addition to safety and health training, MSHA says some states use these grants to support their mine emergency response efforts.