The year of 2016 is not off to a good start in terms of fatalities in the coal mining industry.  MSHA head Joe Main released a statement on January 20, 2016 stating:

“In just the first three weeks of 2016, and after the safest year in mining history, the coal industry has experienced three fatalities in three separate mining accidents, the highest number of coal accidents to occur in the same time period since January 2006.”

MSHA issued a special safety alert with guidance on how to avoid similar circumstances that lead to these fatalities.