The summer is often a slow time for industry updates. Not so for the United States Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) this year. From the results of their June impact inspections and the legacy of the Upper Big Branch explosion, to the discussions around a new proposed rule and their upcoming 40th anniversary, MSHA’s been keeping busy. Here are the highlights.

The Results Are In: June Impact Inspections

MSHA announced this week that it issued 114 citations during the month of June, as part of a series of special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and six metal and nonmetal mines.

Impact inspections are specifically designed to target mines with a poor compliance history or compliance concerns. These types of inspections began back in April of 2010 following an overhaul of regulations designed to more closely examine mines with chronic violation records.

This overhaul was prompted by the … Read more...