Department of Labor to Provide MSHA Grants for Mine Health and Safety Education

The program that provides miners with safety and health training is eligible for more than $10 million in grants. The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is providing $10.5 million in grant funding for mine safety training across the nation. Grants to the State Grants program will fund the delivery of federally mandated training and re-training for miners working at surface and underground coal and metal and nonmetal mines.

The State Grants program is a way for MSHA to focus on protecting the health and safety of miners nationwide. This training includes educating miners about the hazards associated with silica and how they can exercise their rights to minimize risks. Recipients must provide at least 20% of the total program costs, while MSHA can fund up to 80% of the program costs under a state grant.

Grant applications must be submitted by August 20, 2024, and grants will be awarded on or before September 30, 2024. Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

Emily Rice, the Appalachia Health News Reporter for WVPB, has worked in various areas of journalism since graduating from Marshall University in 2016. She has experience as a reporter, photographer, videographer, and managing editor for newsprint and magazines. Prior to joining WVPB, she worked for several publications including the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, West Virginia Executive Magazine, and The Cortez Journal in Cortez, Colorado.