Insights and guides on mine safety data, MSHA inspections, and how to read public safety records.
Historical mine safety data reveals improving or declining trends, the impact of operator changes, and seasonal patterns that snapshots cannot show.
Common misconceptions about mine safety data: more violations does not mean more dangerous, zero violations does not mean safe, and penalty amounts are not danger scores.
Geographic location affects mine safety through geology, climate, mine type distribution, and regional differences. Learn why location is key context for reading safety data.
Public MSHA records help journalists find patterns, test claims, and build accountability stories. Learn how to use mine safety data for investigative reporting.
Coal, metal, nonmetal, stone, and sand and gravel mines each serve different parts of the economy and face different safety risks. Here is what sets them apart.
MSHA inspects underground mines four times a year and surface mines twice. Learn how frequency affects compliance and what triggers additional inspections.
Raw violation counts alone do not tell the full safety story. Learn how mine size, type, activity, and S&S classifications affect what the numbers really mean.
Learn what data fields appear in an MSHA inspection record, what they reveal about a mine, and how to interpret inspection frequency, hours, and inspector counts.