Falls from height prompt MSHA safety alert

A number of recent falls from height incidents prompted the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to issue a safety alert advising miners to use fall protection.

The most recent incident occurred on March 13 when a miner fell from the deck of a bulldozer. From 2022 to 2024, seven miners died after falling from heights, and during this same time frame, MSHA issued 767 violations for failure to follow fall protection standards.

Mine operators should develop fall prevention and protection programs and provide adequate training for miners. Mine operators should also:

• Provide and maintain safe access to all working places.
• Use lifts or ladders to access elevated work areas safely.
• Install adequate warning signals and barricades for openings above, below, or near travelways where miners or materials may fall.
• Ensure miners wear slip resistant footwear and use three points of contact when accessing mobile equipment and elevated surfaces.
• Conduct workplace examinations to identify and correct unsafe work conditions.