According to a statement released by the National Mining Association, based on MSHA figures, 2016 marks the safest year ever for American miners. Together, coal mines and metal/non-metal mines last year recorded the lowest fatality and injury rates in the history of US mining – a sign of continuous improvement for an industry that saw a record low the previous year.

The official figures, issued recently by the US Mine Safety and Health Administration, show 25 fatalities for all US mining in 2016. US minerals mining last year recorded 16 fatalities, while coal mining recorded nine fatalities –  the lowest level ever recorded by the coal mining industry.

“We are proud of our industry for showing continued progress because it exemplifies our commitment to making American mines the world’s safest and our determination to return every miner home safely after every shift,” said National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn. “This safety milestone confirms the value of our voluntary safety initiatives and our determination to achieve excellence in mine safety and health year after year.”

Especially successful in driving continuous safety progress is NMA’s own CORESafety® framework. CORESafety has won international recognition among safety experts for its innovative approach that aims to eliminate fatalities and reduce injury by 50% in five years (0:50:5). CORESafety offers a management system approach to mine safety, offering not a “top-down-one-size-fits-all” model but a scalable framework for operations of all sizes.

For more information on the CORESafety program, readers can visit www.coresafety.org. For 2016 mine safety data, visit the Mine Safety and Health Administration website at www.msha.gov