MSHA’s Mining Updates on Workplace Examination Rules
June 2, 2018, was a big day for the mining industry. That was when MSHA released their latest updates to its Workplace Examination rules. While these updates are likely to have a positive impact on mine safety, their increased reporting requirements are likely to be time-intensive if done incorrectly.
To stay MSHA-compliant, while saving time and money, go digital.
What do the new MSHA rules say?
MSHA’s new updates of Workplace Examination rules include:
- A competent worker must examine the workplace before work begins to report any safety or health hazards.
- Examination records must be completed at the end of every shift. Containing the name of the examiner, location examined, date of examination, and description of any hazardous conditions.
- If there are any hazardous condition that was not previously recorded, the examiner must make corrective changes stating time and date of any new corrections.
- Operators must keep records available for at least one year and be able to readily provide copies when asked.
- All miners must be notified when any threats to health and safety arise.
Why Digital?
Digitization is a state of mind in which information flows instantly, continuously, and efficiently among the stakeholders of the business to drive better decision-making. Entire industries have been transformed, and massive amounts of economic value have been created, in the global shift to digitization. It will do the same for mining. Going digital is an investment that reaps continuous benefits.
What does digital have to do with the new MSHA rules?
Digital is the fastest, easiest, and the most secure way to ensure compliance with the new MSHA rules. The following table shows the specific components of the update, how digital compliance would work with an industry-standard tool, and the benefit of using digital over traditional paper-based methods.
| MSHA’s New Updates | Digital MSHA Compliance | Benefits over Paper |
| Examination records must be completed at the end of every shift. To contain: name of the examiner, location examined, date of examination, and description of any hazardous conditions. | Simplify compliance requirements. The ideal digital MSHA compliance tool makes sure that the examiner administers all parts of inspection for the accurate record. The records are unalterable per MSHA’s request. | Data accuracy and completeness guaranteed and delivered every time. |
| If there are any hazardous condition that was not previously recorded, the examiner must make corrective changes, stating time and date of any new corrections. | The digital tool quickly updates any corrective changes and formats the record to show new timestamp changes. | Timeliness in reporting data. |
| Operators must keep records available for at least one year and be able to readily provide copies when asked. | The digitization solution saves and organizes records for quick and easy access. | Presentable copies produced are on record and viewable at ease. |
| All miners must be notified of any changes that pose a threat to health and safety. | The digital solution immediately informs all miners of any changes as they arise. | Improved response time and effective communication. |
Conclusion
There must be a productive system in place to catalog and mark changes along the way. The most desirable way is to do so without drawing back too much attention from the projects at hand. Why allocate excessive time and attention to something that could report itself? The course of action is simple – digitize regulatory inspection methods. Fortunately, GroundHog has just the solution for you: GroundHog EHS. GroundHog EHS is a digital workflow management solution that helps the mining industry stay compliant with MSHA’s new updates to regulation.
