ARLINGTON, Va. — In the wake of two mine stakeholder safety summits held in less than four weeks, the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today it is stepping up efforts even further to counteract the recent spike in mining deaths.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today released a summary of U.S. mining deaths that occurred during the first quarter of 2014. From Jan. 1 to March 31, eight miners died in accidents in the U.S. mining industry. Three were killed in coal mining accidents and five in metal and nonmetal mining accidents. The previous quarter was marked by 15 deaths and an increase in the metal and nonmetal sector.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration will convene a meeting of mine industry stakeholders in the wake of a dramatic increase in metal and nonmetal mining deaths. The meeting will address the causes of recent deaths, identify actions needed to prevent them and work to reverse the trend.

Since the beginning of this year, there have been nine fatalities in the metal and nonmetal sector. Nine of the 22 metal and nonmetal deaths that occurred in 2013 happened in the fourth quarter.

ARLINGTON, Va. — As part of its efforts to assure smooth implementation of the new coal mine respirable dust rule, the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration is forming a cooperative partnership with coal mine operators and miners.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 152 citations, 14 orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in March.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced the release of a final rule to lower miners' exposure to respirable coal mine dust in all underground and surface coal mines. The final rule continues the department's efforts through its End Black Lung — Act Now! initiative to end black lung disease, a debilitating illness that continues to affect coal miners and their families.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today released preliminary data for calendar year 2013, updating the "Mine Safety and Health at a Glance" page. The charts include information on inspections; violations; number of mines and miners; and fatality and injury rates for coal, metal and nonmetal, and all mining.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today issued a Program Information Bulletin reminding the mining community of the process for submitting a corrective action program for MSHA approval and the tools MSHA makes available to assist mine operators in monitoring compliance.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 210 citations, eight orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at nine coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in February. A safeguard is written when an unsafe haulage or hoisting hazard is observed and is an immediate risk to a miner.

ARLINGTON, Va. — In a meeting on March 5 with the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association in Las Vegas, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main updated NSSGA's board of directors on recent actions taken by the Mine Safety and Health Administration to improve miner safety and health. The NSSGA represents companies that produce more than 90 percent of the crushed stone and 70 percent of the sand and gravel consumed annually in the United States.

Enhanced worker voice protections among major initiatives

ARLINGTON, Va. — In meetings today with the United Steelworkers of America at its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main updated union members on recent actions taken by the Mine Safety and Health Administration to improve mine safety and health. The USW is the largest industrial union in North America, and it represents workers from a number of industries, including metals and mining.

ARLINGTON, Va. — In a speech before attendees of the West Virginia Coal Association's 41st Annual Mining Symposium in Charleston, W.Va., today, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main discussed actions taken by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the mining community over the past year to improve mine safety and health.

ARLINGTON, Va. — In a speech before attendees of the West Virginia Coal Association's 41st Annual Mining Symposium in Charleston, W.Va., today, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main discussed actions taken by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the mining community over the past year to improve mine safety and health.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 135 citations, 24 orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and two metal and nonmetal mines in December.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission has overturned a decision by Administrative Law Judge Jerold Feldman involving Wolf Run Mining Co.'s Sago Mine in Upshure County, W. Va., where 12 miners died in a massive explosion Jan. 2, 2006. The commission found that the mine operator's failure to notify MSHA and mine rescue teams immediately after the explosion involved unwarrantable failure and high negligence.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission has overturned a decision by Administrative Law Judge Jerold Feldman involving Wolf Run Mining Co.'s Sago Mine in Upshure County, W. Va., where 12 miners died in a massive explosion Jan. 2, 2006. The commission found that the mine operator's failure to notify MSHA and mine rescue teams immediately after the explosion involved unwarrantable failure and high negligence.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that, as of Dec. 31, 2013, the agency had addressed the 100 recommendations published in a March 2012 internal review report, meeting the specific timetables and deadlines it had set for implementation of each recommendation. That report examined the agency's actions in the months leading up to the April 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion, which killed 29 miners, injured two and led to sweeping changes in mine safety.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that, as of Dec. 31, 2013, the agency had addressed the 100 recommendations published in a March 2012 internal review report, meeting the specific timetables and deadlines it had set for implementation of each recommendation. That report examined the agency's actions in the months leading up to the April 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion, which killed 29 miners, injured two and led to sweeping changes in mine safety.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that the department has settled two discrimination cases with Nyrstar Tennessee Mines – Gordonsville LLC, which operates the Cumberland and Elmwood/Gordonsville Mines in Smith County, Tenn. According to the settlement, which was approved by Kenneth R.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 198 citations and 11 orders during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in January.