P&Q exclusive: MSHA chief reflects on 2023 mining fatalities

Williamson

One of the examples I’ve cited is on the electrical side. There were two accidents that claimed the lives of three miners where, basically, we had haul trucks that got into overhead power lines. One of the things we did – even early on this year when we first started seeing a trend up – is put out a lot more safety and health alerts to try to focus on some of these things.

Obviously, we do the investigations of all these accidents and put out reports. But I told our team: We need to get a safety alert out on this, because the end goal here is to prevent this from happening again. We made it available both in English and Spanish.

I’d like to think [alerts are] one of the things we can do in addition to enforcement measures to really put information out there – good, quality information – that industry and labor can use to have safety talks. That’s part of our role, too, here in really trying to throw the kitchen sink at this thing to get the number of fatalities to go down.

P&Q: Does MSHA have any plans to expand compliance assistance to operators in any way?

Williamson: Compliance assistance is always available. EFSMS is available, and they can be called at any point in time. They’ll go out on a mine site, and that’s especially important for small operators that may not have the resources. We help them develop safety systems and different things and help with training. There are a lot of resources that are available there. I would encourage mine operators to take advantage of those.

But I also think it’s a little bit broader than that. We have a huge role to play in the education, outreach and awareness space. We’re trying to do that more.

We’re putting out more safety and health alerts. If we see themes or things where there have been fatal accidents, [we’ll] put out a safety alert. I view that as compliance assistance, as well. If we get that information out there, make it available – and make it available in English and Spanish [so] it can be widely used, whether it’s [by a] safety committee of the labor union or the mine operator – whoever gets the information can sit down and take a few minutes [with it].

[With] “Stand Down to Save Lives,” take a few minutes and just go over it. Some things are just [about] attention to detail. Some of them are just getting the information and having discussions about them. But it’s also very important in all of this, too, to make sure miners feel they can identify hazards and talk about them – and let the operator know. One of the ways to do that is thorough examinations in the workplace.

P&Q: Some of the fatal accidents this year involved mobile equipment. Is MSHA continuing to pursue issuance of its mobile equipment final rule? Is that still on track for promulgation this summer?

Williamson: I can’t give you a definitive timeline or a definitive date, but we are working to get that finalized and get it out there.

P&Q: Additionally, MSHA classified a number of the accidents that occurred this year as ‘machinery’ accidents. Does MSHA have any plans to address this area in any form or fashion?

Williamson: Consistent with what I’ve already shared is [that] that’s an area on our radar screen. It’s an area where we’re seeing fatalities. I think we’re trying to go through, analyze and figure out [if] there are common themes there [and if there] are there things we can do. I think it’s an area where everyone can pay more attention. Additional focus is warranted there, and it’s one of the things we’ll be out talking about – not only next week, but as we move forward.

We’re still kind of in the process of doing some of the reviewing, but it does jump out as one of these categories that I think we all could pay a little bit more attention [to] and focus on.

It’s still a little bit early. We’re still trying to look at it and see if there’s anything we need to take action on. But I wouldn’t take anything off the table at this point, either. I think it’s an area that warrants some additional focus. 

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