Additional Training - Site-specific Hazard Awareness

Site-specific hazard awareness training is defined by MSHA as education on the hazards that could be encountered at a mine and applicable procedures for managing or solving those hazards. MSHA requires site-specific hazard awareness training for all miners and other personnel present at a mine site. The MSHA requirements for administering this type of training are as follows:

• All miners and other mine personnel must receive site-specific hazard awareness training before being exposed to mine hazards.
• The training may be provided through the use of the following:
  • Written hazard warnings
  • Oral instruction
  • Walk-around training
  • Posted signs and warnings
  • Other appropriate means of alerting persons to site-specific hazards
• The training must include site-specific health and safety risks, including the following:
  • Health and environmental hazards
  • Hazard recognition and avoidance
  • Traffic patterns and controls
  • Emergency procedures
  • Any other site-specific, special safety procedures
• Miners who are employed by the same operator or independent contractor but move from one mine to another must be provided with site-specific awareness training for each mine.
• Any person who is accompanied at all times by an experienced miner familiar with site-specific hazards is not required to undergo site-specific hazard awareness training.

To learn more about MSHA Part 48 training requirements visit our MSHA Part 48 Subpart B Surface Mining Online Training web page.