NMA Safety and Health Initiatives

The National Mining Association and U.S. mining promote health and safety as a core value. We strive to instill the values of safety leadership, accountability and personal involvement in every employee and to provide them with the required training and tools to prevent fatalities, injuries or occupational illnesses.

NMA recently launched the CORESafety initiative, an industry-wide partnership built on a foundation of leadership, culture and health and safety systems. Striving to achieve the "0:50:5 Goal" (0 fatalities and 50 percent injury rate reduction in 5 years) the CORESafety web site and framework offer detailed modules and resources developed by safety experts to help companies improve worker safety and health.

NMA recognizes outstanding achievment in worker safety through the Sentinels of Safety Awards. Sentinels of Safety are awarded annually to the nation's safest mines with a minimum of 4,000 injury-free hours. The awards were initiated in 1925 by then-Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover and remain the nation's most prestigious awards recognizing mining safety.

See our Sentinels of Safety page to see the 2011 award winners.

Also see the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health award for Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovations.

Safety Statistics

More than 80 percent of U.S. mining operations did not have a single lost time accident last year.

MSHA’s Mine Safety and Health at a Glance
64 KB, Last Updated: 1/27/2012 U.S.

Mining Fatalities 2005-2012 Year-to-date
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BLS Report - Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2011
230 KB, Last Updated: 10/25/2012

U.S. Mining

Coal

Metal/Non-Metal

Safety Publications

Employee safety and health is the first priority of U.S. mining operations - and NMA is committed to helping all companies continue to improve on historic advances in worker safety.

Working with partner groups dedicated to improving employee safety and health, NMA has developed the following publications and offers them free of charge. Each publication has been designed to assist companies with specific challenges related to employee safety.

CORESafety and Health Management System Handbook

Mine Rescue Handbook

Safety Crisis Communication Template

Safety & Health Overview

Mining Safety & Health

Employee safety and health is the first priority of U.S. mining operations, and over the past 15 years, that commitment has led to a 52 percent cut in the rate of injuries in U.S. mines and a 58 percent reduction in the fatal injury rate. More can and will be done.

CORESafety®: Committed to Excellence in Mining Safety is an initiative led by the members of the National Mining Association to achieve an aggressive safety goal of eliminating fatalities and reducing mining’s injury rate by 50 percent over the next five years through implementation of safety and health management systems. Learn more here.

NMA is also pleased to sponsor the Sentinels of Safety Awards for U.S. mining operations. NMA also hosts the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health award for Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovations.