Right to Health Protection

Health standards within the MSHA regulations are implemented to protect miners from dusts, gases, noise, heat, and radiation. Miners must be made aware of exposure to any harmful elements within a mine before they begin work. During an inspection, an inspector may measure the miners' exposure levels to ensure that they are working in safe conditions. Working with health protection devices may seem like a nuisance, but it is necessary to enable safe work practices and habits within a mining space.

It is the responsibility of the mine operator to develop, implement, and share a written Hazardous Communications (HAZCOM) program for the mine. All potential hazards should be listed in the HAZCOM documentation.

If a miner has a medical emergency, the operator must disclose any chemical information pertinent to medical treatment even if the information is considered a trade secret.

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