MSHA Training.....

[Klondikeike]

Klondike here...

As part of opening our commercial mine in Arizona, we all completed our MSHA saftey training on Friday.... Man, I'm telling you, they press so much into those three days..followed by a 50 question, open book test...my head was spinning by the time we left Friday afternoon...

We have not applied for our Mine ID yet, which opens the door for MSHA to inspect and start writting Citations... Not all states have a Department of Mines, ...But AZ does... so we will call them out first to inspect because they follow the same MSHA regulations to a tee, but their Citations carry no monetary value.. in other words.... no fines go along with the citatians...they just tell you what to fix to be current with all the regulations... then MSHA will show up sooner or later, and hopefully this will keep any Citations down to a minimum they may want to write, hopefully none at all....It more about paperwork than anything else..along with proper procedures and such..following protacall...when there is an injury or death..

Our Notice of Intent is about to be approved...spoke with BLM late last week as well...we are running a small pilot plant at about 10 yards per hour... and have 7 pits..all 150' X 50' X 3 feet deep.....

Once we get started under the NOI, a few weeks later, we'll ammend our NOI to step up the production rate as well and include additional material amounts....also we'll submit a formal Plan of Operation to cover the entire claim properties....which will take a few months to get approved... in the mean time, we'll run under the NOI we submitted..

By the way.. one of my investors has had a serious family emergency and has had to withdraw from our project... therefore I am seek additional investor(s) to take his place.... if anyone out there want to participate in what will be a very profitable placer mine, please let me know...

Thanks...and good prospecting to mining to all...

Klondike...

 

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[russau]

i have a friend that needed a MSHA training but was told he needed to be working at a mine tobe eligible to get the training and viseversa he needed the training before he could get a job at a mine. kind of a run-around.how would a person get this training if hes not currently working? or did they give him the ole run-a-round?

 

[Hoser John]

AMEN Russau--they want you to push the cart,spend all your cash first and THEN sit and wait. AZ with no fines sounds amazing after spending a lifetime of fines fines fines in most other states?? Hope ya kick butt K and find a ton----or 2-John

 

[Klondikeike]

Thanks for the comments guys...

By MSHA regulation, you MUST be MSHA trained to work at a mine....doesn't matter if you own the mine or work at it....doesn't matter if you going to the mine site to install cabinets in the mine office as a contractor...or working in or on the mine site area as an employee, YOU MUST BE MSHA TRAINED before you start working at the mine....

However, some mine operators take the gamble they won't be inspected....just get someone working and train them later...maybe is their mentality and where the confusion is. If the operator is caught by MSHA having non MSHA trained personnel on site..or within their records... the mine gets a $10,000 fine and you as the worker are escorted off the mine site...not to return until you are MSHA trained....

AZ is very pro mining...in general....

Both the State Department of Mines as well as MSHA want every worker to be safe while working at a mine.... the State ....DOES NOT CHARGE FINES for citations, .....whereas MSHA does..and they are usually very stiff fines...

And yes HJ.. we will find tons, well maybe not tons... but certainly lots of AU based on the assays we've collected and had analyzed over this past year.......in some areas of the claims as high as 2.5 oz per ton of black sand....we collect a ton of black sand in less than 20 yards of raw placer material....... Thanks for your support....

Klondike

 

[Astrobouncer]

Klondikeike, that sounds like a very nice project you have going there. Any chance we could get some pictures/videos when the mine gets up and running? And good luck!

 

[Klondikeike]

Sure Astrobounce...

I'll post what I feel comfortable in posting...

Here are some pics of us doing assays... To the untrained eye.. this area doesn't look like much... but it is extremely rich in Gold, Silver, all of the Platinum group metals...haven't seen much in the way of gem stones yet.. I suspect that is due to all the erroson from the long ago days of the old Pleoceine River that once ran here... you can hardly make it out today...

Klondike...

 

[russau]

thanks for the reply Ike, but you didnt answer my question completely. how does a person thats not working at a mine get the MSHA training so he could work at a mine, even if its installing cabinets like you say.kind of a catch 22.

 

[Klondikeike]

Hey russau ....

Maybe this will be more clear.... sorry if I didn't explain it right ....

ANYONE can take the MSHA training.... Working or not working at a mine has NOTHING to do with ability to taking the MSHA training....Many Universities and colleges offer the training... there are many nation wide companies who offer the training.... (NEVER do it on line) One thing to be sure of though... the Instructor MUST be MSHA certified as an instructor or inspector.... make them show their blue card...and call MSHA to verify they are current on their status as a MSHA instructor...if not... your training will mean nothing as being MSHA trained.

Your local MSHA Distruct office will be able to give you phone numbers to locally certified instructors/inspectors and companies who offer the training.

When you call MSHA....ask for the person who is in charge of training...there will be at least one person who oversees the training part of MSHA...speak with them... they will send you in the right direction....MSHA is a large organization and each office has many people...Talk to the training person of that office... MSHA within its self does NOT do any training at all.... but they know where you can get the training.

I got trained... it was easy to get enrolled...I called and asked for the Training person within the district office in Phoenix...he gave me two phone numbers... I took the first one and was in training three days later.... (I was trained by a company called ETC Compliance Solutions, Inc..... they are ONLY in AZ.. some folks attending had traveled from other states to take their training)....I do not work at a mine... I am not associated with a mine... the fact that I am opening a small scale commercial mine means nothing to MSHA until there is a MINE ID NUMBER associated with my mine... right now, as far as MSHA is concerned, there is no mine and I do not work at one nor have I applied to work at a mine... eventually, I will have to apply for my own Mine ID Number as a mine owner/operator... once issued, I will now work at a mine...but will have been trained a few months before it was issued and that point in time, the mine becomes a reality in MSHA's eye...

I hope that helps...

Klondike...

 

[aussco999]

Russau:

The MSHA training may be done differently in other states, but in AZ. the state mine inspector's office normally provides the training classes. They hold several classes per year in different locations in the state and anyone can sign up for the class, regardless of their current work status.

When I took my last 8 hour refresher course in AZ., the class consisted of about 20 other people (men and women) from a geology company that wanted to send their people out in the field. Talk about a pitiful deer-in-the-headlight group, none of them had ever been underground and only a couple had been out on a placer (actually a sand & rock) project. After viewing the MSHA "Stay out, Stay alive" safety video of the kids gettting lost while exploring an abandoned mine, I don't thik any of them will ever go underground. Also, I believe that was the last MSHA class being offered in AZ that covered both surface and underground mining. I think now they have divided that into two seperate classes.

Again, maybe training is done differently in other states, but as Klondikeike said, AZ is mining friendly.

John

 

[aussco999]

Klondikeike:

We were answering Russau's question at the same time, go figure... When I last took the refresher course, the state mine inspectors office provided most of the classes. I guess with the renewed interest in mining, it has turned in to a growing business.

FYI: Yes, MSHA can write you a citation with a heavy fine, and can even call the federal marshals out to arrest you if your negligence has cost a life. But, I've never seen them use any heavy-handed tactics just because they can. Their primary concern is safety. But, it's a real good idea having the state inspectors coming out to check your operation first, as they are a friendly bunch of people and will do almost anything to get out of the office.

The way to get around the required MSHA training for the cabinet installer, vendors or any other guess showing up on site is by locating the office and parking area at the entrance of your project and then posting the ususal "authorized personal only", "hard-hats & PPE required beyond this point" signs between the "go and the no go" areas. That's how it's done on the larger mining projects.

Enjoyed your photos, post more when you can.

John

 

[Klondikeike]

You're right aussco999 on many points....

There is now two different classes...Part 46 and Part 48 of the Code... both are 24 hours and not much different to each other..... but it depends on your occupation at the mine as to which one you want to take... and in some cases need both..... but for a typical surface, metal/non-metal open pit placer gold operation, part 48 is usually good enough... Underground is now covered by the Hazwopper 40 hour training... Part 46 requires an MSHA approved safety plan in place to take the Part 46...at the same time you take part 48...... and part 48 is open to all...mine operators, mine workers, contractors and all other interested persons... You'll be classified as a NEW MINER, INEXPERIENCED... after one year, on your first refresher, you'll then be classified as an EXPERIENCED MINER...even if you never set foot on a mine site...it is just how the classifications work for MSHA...

Concerning states diferences to how the State Mine Inspector or Department of Mines handles its business, it probably does differ from state to state... However, the part 46 or part 48 training does not ... this all federal laws and regulations... above the state's juristiction...

Without first hand knowledge, but from what several have said, especially here in AZ... the state mine inspector's office is extremely friendly...and verey much willing to help....this may or may not be so in other states...

My distric MSHA office in Phoenix actually told me about using the State Mine Inspectors office to kind of do a "pre-MSHA inspection"....

Happy hunting to all...and may your 'pokes' be always full of gold....

Klondike...

 

[russau]

thankyou Ike and aussco999 for the info! i guess i could call a local MSHA office and ask if ,once you get the training,is it good foe anywhere or just their district and how long is this license(?) good for. i see aussco999 did a refreasher course.i worked on gamma ray/kryptonit cells and had tobe registered with the Atomic energy people and we had tobe retrained peroidically,as with the asbestoes training(yearly) and i would assume this cost of the MSHA training would be expensive for a individual.....thanks again for the info!

 

[Klondikeike]

You're welcome russau....

The MSHA training is good for one year...then you must do a "8 hour Refresher" to be MSHA certified as "Trained"... You must get the refresher PRIOR to the full year aniversary of your original training...

Hope it works out well for you...good luck...

Klondike...

 

[Hoser John]

As the AK miners found out with that huge fine state by state regs mandate new certification it seems. Here we are yet again a federal agency(all staes jurisdiction) with no HOMOGENOUS APPLICATION OF LAW as they got precertified in Colorado,mined in AK and had to recertify and pay fines--stupid arse government--- --John

 

[aussco999]

Klondikeike:

Thanks for the current up date on the MSHA training schedule. As you said, the training is under federal control, so a current certificate is good everywhere in the USA.

I've been working in Mexico for the past 8 years, so all of my MSHA and Hazwop certificates are long ago expired. Regarding the safety requirements in Mexico, if you can fog-a-mirrior while breathing, then you're good to go. The govenment really only steps in if someone is injuried or killed, then they come down on you hard.

I've always been a "Safety First" person, so we have our own safety program on any project I'm on there, including the weekly tailgate meeting with all of the workers. Getting hurt is bad for business.

I always enjoyed working in AZ, so keep us posted on your project.

Good luck,

John

 

[Klondikeike]

No problem aussco999...

You're welcome.... when you get tired of mining/living in Mexico... come on by my place... and share some of your stories...

Until then... good luck...

Klondike...