The US Department of Labor has announced the availability of US$10.5m in state grant funding to support mine safety, health training, education.
The DoL’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MHSA) says the funding will be made available to provide federally mandated training and retraining of miners and mine operators working at surface and underground coal and metal and nonmetal mines.
Any state in which mining takes place may apply for the grant. The MSHA may fund 80% of the programme costs under a state grant, and the state must provide at least 20% of the total programme costs.
The closing date for applications is July 25, 2022 an the MSHA will award grants on or before September 30, 2022.
The MSHA says it recognises that state training programmes are a key source of mine safety and health training and education for individuals who work or will work at mines. It encourages state training programmes to prioritise training for small mining operations and underserved mines and miners within the mining industry. The agency also emphasises training on miners’ statutory rights provided in the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended.
