Safety and Health

At mine sites, dams are essential infrastructure that provides flood control, store water for mine use, and control runoff. But dams can also pose significant danger to people working near them if they fail.

May is National Electrical Safety Month. Electricity is a serious hazard that exposes miners to dangers such as electric shock, electrocution, fires and explosions.

May 14-20 is National Women’s Health Week. The Mine Safety and Health Administration encourages women miners to check the condition and fit of their personal protective equipment.

In 2021, there were 680 workplace fatalities associated with falls from elevations - about 13% of all deaths. Learn about our new National Emphasis Program to prevent falls and keep workers safe.

Dr. Elizabeth Hayes was a fierce public health advocate who fought for coal miners and their families in the 1940s.

Join us May 1-5 to spread the word about the dangers of construction falls and how to prevent them.

At 6 a.m. on Friday, June 3, 2016, 56-year-old James “Dee” Hemphill and 24-year-old Emmitt Shorter went to work at Harmony Mine and Mill in Mississippi. Both men were working together to excavate material from the Johnson Pit and transport it to the on-site plant or waste dump.

In an unsafe trench, thousands of pounds of soil can bury a worker within seconds. Help get the word out about trench hazards and how to keep workers safe.

National Mine Health and Safety Academy Instructor Michele Santos-Cranford sat down with us to talk about her career and tips for women in the mining industry. 

Clarissa Romero, a safety and health compliance officer in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, helps make sure that workers come home safe at the end of every shift.