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Mine Safety & Health Administration State Grant Program

The Iowa Department of Education administers a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration ( MSHA ), which provides funds for training and services delivered to mine owners/operators/contractors in the State of Iowa. The state grant program started in 1969 under the Coal Mine Safety and Health Act. The 1977 amendments to the act authorized MSHA to spend up to $10 million annually to assist states in providing health and safety training to miners.

The Iowa MSHA State Grant Program 2009 delivers training through its fifteen (15) community colleges and the state’s One Source Training solution.  A focus of the Iowa MSHA State Grant Program is to make training available to small mines – employing 5 or fewer workers.  To do this, it is necessary to establish classes and grouping workers together who are taking the same training.  A schedule of classes has been established by each community college, and is available on the One Source Training Website.  The class schedule contains the course identification, description, and contact information.  Registration for each worker is $49 for a one-day class.  To register, mine owners/operators/contractors/workers simply phone the contact listed at the community college.

Community College Contacts are as follows:

Des Moines Area Community College - 515.964.6800 or 800.342.0033.
Eastern Iowa Community College District - 563.441.4100 or 888.336.3907
Hawkeye Community College - 319.296.2460 or 800.670.4743
Indian Hills Community College - 800.346.4413 or 641.683.5249
Iowa Central Community College - 515.574.1292 or 800.362.2793
Iowa Lakes Community College - 800.252.5664
Iowa Valley Community College - 641.752.4645 or 800.284.4823
Iowa Western Community College - 712.325.3255 or 800.432.5852
Kirkwood Community College - 800.332.8833
North Iowa Area Community College - 641.422.4358 or 888.466.4222
Northeast Iowa Community College - 800.728.2256
Northwest Iowa Community College - 800.352.4907
Southeastern Community College - 319.208.5375 or 866.722.4692
Southwestern Community College - 641.782.1441or 800.247.4023
Western Iowa Tech Community College - 712.274.6404 or 800.352.4649

Topics included in the presentations are Electrical Safety and Lockout/Tagout, Haulage Equipment, Dredging Operations, Equipment Safety, Plant safety, Health Concerns (MSDS forms, Parts Cleaners, Solvents, Dust Factors, etc.), Personal safety and First Aid/CPR.

Short courses are also available to mining companies to address specific concerns which may arise and impact the day to day safe operations of the mines. These courses include:

  • Blaster's Certification Course;
  • Loading, Hauling, and Dumping Equipment;
  • Plant Safety and Machine Guarding;
  • Substance Abuse;
  • Dredging Operations;
  • First Aid/Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR);
  • Personal Protective equipment/Health Concerns;
  • Silica Dust hazards;
  • Back Injury Prevention;
  • Electrical Safety;
  • Stress Management; and
  • Dust Control.

Under the Iowa grant program, mine operators may request grant personnel visit their mining operations to assist in training program development that would be site specific, job safety analysis development and implementation of employee safety awareness programs. The outreach program also enables operators to receive additional training and assistance with 30 CFR parts 56 and 57 subjects as requested.

30 CFR parts 46 and 48 training is made available, on request, to all miners and independent contractors in the state. The training sessions are available through the fifteen community colleges and may be held on campus or at the mining site. The grant training program conducts sessions for:

• 30 CFR parts 46 and 48 Annual Refresher ( 8 hour);

• 30 CFR parts 46 and 48 Newly Hired Experienced Miner Training (8 hour);

• 30 CFR parts 46 and 48 New Miner Training (24 hour).

The Holmes Safety Association Iowa State Council was developed by mining industry professionals with the intention of encouraging the reduction and elimination of occupational injuries and diseases among employees in Iowa's mining industries. The Holmes Safety Association Iowa State Council, with the assistance of the Iowa State Mine Safety Grant Program provides educational seminars throughout the state in communicating not only the importance of safe working practices, but also, supplies an effective network for Iowa's mining operators to draw upon as a resource in resolving safety or health challenges. Topics discussed at seminars may include:

  • Conveyor Mechanics;
  • Mobile Equipment Hazards and Safety Devices;
  • Electrical Portable vs Stationary Plants;
  • New Approaches to Safety Management;
  • Drugs and Alcohol in Mining;
  • Fall Protection;
  • Building a Safety Culture;
  • Explosives and Blasting;
  • Miners' Rights and Responsibilities Under the Mine Act of 1977;
  • Oxygen and Acetylene - Risks in Using;
  • Hidden Costs in Mine safety Accidents;
  • MSHA Record Keeping On Site;
  • Fire Warning and Fire Fighting Aspects; and
  • Participating In An MSHA Inspection: How-Who and Why.