labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The casual explorer or the absent-minded worker is exposed to many perils. One that might surprise you is abandoned mines. Most of the mines have hidden shafts that drop hundreds of feet. Many people have been fatally injured when they stepped on a rotten board and fell down the mineshaft.

With warmer weather here, The US Dept. of Labors Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, has planned the public safety campaign “Stay Out — Stay Alive.” The program is designed to alert workers and outdoor enthusiasts about the dangers of intruding on mine property.

In addition to shafts, a number of other risks can be found in mine property, like flooded sections, poisonous snakes and spiders, and deadly gases. In old mines, many shafts are only covered by fragile boards. Often the boards are rotten or decayed.

Georgia worker safety is part of the MSHA program. In the past, a lot of fatal mishaps have involved children and outdoor enthusiasts. Children frequently enter mines to play, and sometimes the end is tragic. Workers in unrelated industries may fall down shafts or have other accidents, if they are not cautious.

In the United States, there are 14,000 active mines and about 500,000 abandoned mines throughout the country, according to Richard E. Stickler, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health. “Many of them contain hidden hazards and, for those not trained to work in mines, the outcome can be deadly. That’s why we urge workers, hikers, bikers, rock hounds and swimmers to ‘Stay Out — Stay Alive.’”

Many federal and state agencies, companies, individuals and private organizations are active partners in the campaign “Stay Out–Stay Alive.” During 2006, several people suffered injuries in surface and underground mine operations, and at least 30 people died, with ages starting in 17.

Public service announcements designed to alert people from accidental trespass of mine property, are included in the MSHA program.

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