Resources For Miners and Their Families
Mine Injury Attorney provides miners and their families with the resources they need in regard to health and safety information, state and federal government contacts, state and national labor unions, and more.
Core resources for miners and their families
Mine Safety & Accident Information
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) — The primary federal agency responsible for enforcing mine safety and health laws. This should probably be the first resource on the page.
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
tyMSHA – Mine Data & Information — Useful for researching mines, operators, inspections, violations, accidents and other mine-specific information.
MSHA Mine Data & Information
NIOSH Mining Program — An excellent overall resource from the CDC covering mine safety, occupational illness and injury prevention. It includes information on ground falls, machinery injuries, fires and explosions, hearing loss, silicosis and black lung.
NIOSH Mining Program
Report a Hazardous Condition to MSHA
This is particularly valuable for active miners. MSHA accepts complaints concerning imminent dangers, violations of mandatory safety or health standards, and other Mine Act violations. MSHA procedures require hazardous-condition complaints to be investigated promptly.
MSHA Hazardous Condition / Complaint Information
MSHA Mine Data Retrieval System
This is the resource I was referring to when I suggested allowing visitors to look up information about a particular mine or mine operator. MSHA’s data resources contain information involving mines, operators, employment, inspections, violations, accidents and related records.
MSHA Mine Data Retrieval System
MSHA Mine Fatality Reports
For families researching a fatal mining accident, MSHA maintains investigation reports. Its digital collection includes more than 30,000 coal and metal/nonmetal mine fatality investigation reports dating back to the 1800s.
MSHA Mine Fatality Reports
Mining and Ground Falls
This is excellent supporting material for your eventual roof-fall/rib-collapse content. NIOSH discusses roof, rib and face falls, pillar design, roof support, slope stability and other ground-control hazards.
NIOSH — Mining and Ground Falls
Mining Fires and Explosions
A very good resource explaining methane, combustible coal dust, ventilation, ignition sources, rock dusting and mine fire/explosion prevention.
NIOSH — Mining Fires and Explosions
Miner Health & Safety
NIOSH Miner Health Program — Focuses specifically on the long-term health and well-being of miners, including respiratory disease, hazardous noise, heat stress and other occupational health issues.
NIOSH Miner Health Program
MSHA – Accident, Illness & Injury Information — Particularly relevant to the microsite because visitors can access mining accident and injury information and reports.
MSHA Accident and Injury Information
NIOSH Mining Health & Safety Topics
This is the specific resource I had in mind for the broader “Mining Health & Safety Topics” link. It covers black lung, silicosis, hearing loss, respiratory hazards, machinery accidents, ground falls, electrical injuries, fires and explosions, and other hazards.
NIOSH Mining Health & Safety Topics
NIOSH Mine Safety Tools & Solutions
This is also worth separating from the general NIOSH page. It contains guides, training materials, videos and practical resources addressing dust, heat stress, hearing loss, ergonomics and other mining hazards.
NIOSH Tools & Solutions for Mine Safety and Health
Black Lung & Respiratory Disease
Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program — This is an especially good resource for coal miners. The NIOSH program provides health surveillance and free black lung screenings for coal miners.
Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program
Federal Black Lung Program – U.S. Department of Labor — One of the most important family-oriented resources. The program administers claims under the Black Lung Benefits Act and provides benefits to eligible miners and survivors.
Federal Black Lung Program
Guide to Filing for Federal Black Lung Benefits — A practical DOL resource explaining who may qualify, what benefits are available and how a miner begins the application process.
Guide to Filing for Black Lung Benefits
Federal Black Lung Medical Benefits — Explains medical coverage available to miners who have been awarded federal black lung benefits, including physician care, hospitalization, prescriptions, supplies and certain home/residential healthcare services.
Black Lung Medical Benefits Information
NIOSH Mining Safety Tools & Resources — A nice catch-all resource containing downloadable guides, training materials, videos and tools covering dust, heat stress, hearing protection, mine rescue and other safety issues.
NIOSH Mine Safety Tools & Solutions
NIOSH – Respiratory Protection for Mine Workers — Particularly relevant for underground coal miners. It covers respirators, self-contained self-rescuers and respiratory protection requirements and resources.
Respiratory Protection Resources for Mine Workers
NIOSH – Mining Respiratory Hazards — Goes beyond black lung and silica to address diesel particulate matter, toxic gases and other airborne hazards miners can encounter.
Mining and Other Respiratory Hazards
West Virginia Miner Resources
West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety & Training — An important resource given Bailey Javins & Carter’s West Virginia presence. The agency oversees state mine safety and provides information relevant to miners, operators and families.
WV Office of Miners’ Health, Safety & Training
West Virginia Mine Safety Laws & Regulations — Provides access to West Virginia mine safety laws, regulations and reference manuals, including rules governing underground and surface mines.
West Virginia Mine Safety Laws & Regulations
West Virginia Workers’ Compensation – Offices of the Insurance Commissioner — Helpful for miners and families looking for information regarding West Virginia workers’ compensation coverage and claims.
West Virginia Workers’ Compensation Resources
Resources for Families
Black Lung Survivor Benefits
This is one I would definitely add. The Department of Labor has a dedicated guide for surviving family members applying for federal Black Lung benefits. It explains eligibility, the application process and the documentation involved.
DOL Guide to Filing for Black Lung Benefits — Survivor’s Claim
Federal Black Lung Benefits Forms
This is a very practical resource. It includes the miner’s application, employment-history forms, survivor’s application, medical forms and other documents.
Federal Black Lung Benefits Forms
Federal Black Lung Program
This is the main Department of Labor portal for miners and their families. It covers claims, medical benefits, benefit rates, forms, online services and survivor information.
U.S. Department of Labor Federal Black Lung Program
C.O.A.L. Mine Portal
This one is especially useful for someone who is actually pursuing benefits. The DOL portal allows claimants and survivors to submit new Black Lung applications and electronically submit documents to existing case files.
C.O.A.L. Mine Document Submission Portal