MSHA honors miners on National Miners Day

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) honored the contributions of minors on Dec. 6, which was designated by Congress as National Miners Day.

According to MSHA, the date commemorates the worst industrial mine accident in U.S. history, where 362 miners died in an explosion at the No. 6 and No. 8 mines in Monongah, W.V., in 1907.

MSHA has been working to improve the safety of miners through recent initiatives, including a respirable coal dust rule aimed at preventing black lung disease. It also is currently working to improve fall protection, guarding and ladder safety for metal and nonmetal miners.

“Miners and mining are vital to our economy,” says Joseph Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “But even more, they are a key part of our nation’s identity, representing fortitude, determination and spirit.”