MSHA develops tool to connect miners with health care providers

The Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) developed an online platform to help miners and their families navigate the process of finding health care providers, facilities and related resources.

Accessible at msha.gov, the agency’s Health Resource Locator tool includes care options tailored specifically for miners – including National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health-certified B Readers, black lung clinics, buprenorphine providers, audiologists and speech language pathologists, drug and alcohol treatment facilities, federally qualified health centers, mental health facilities, and Veterans Administration health care facilities.

According to MSHA, the new tool enables miners to search for resources easily and anonymously in a chosen area using a mine name or mine identification number, as well as with a city, state or zip code. Miners can then sort results alphabetically or by distance.

“The Health Resource Locator tool provides miners with a single accessible place where they can obtain real-time information on health care facilities, services and specialists tailored to their unique health needs,” says Chris Williamson, assistant secretary at MSHA.

Williamson handled the launch for MSHA during a seminar in Bristol, Connecticut. The seminar involved Tilcon Connecticut and the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association.

“The Biden-Harris administration remains committed to ensuring that all workers have good jobs, and a healthy workplace is a critical component of a good job,” Williamson says. “Miners face many potential health challenges, whether because of disabling injuries, occupational illnesses like silicosis and black lung disease, or obstacles to finding quality mental health care.

“MSHA’s Miner Health Matters initiative encourages miners to get regular health screenings and maintain awareness about their health,” he adds. “This tool makes that easier by placing information directly in miners’ hands.”

MSHA says the Health Resource Locator tool will soon be available within its miner app.

Related: When to notify MSHA of an injury