Mining industry re-focuses on safety

 In response to concerns about workplace safety, the Wyoming Mining Association is focusing even more on safety issues. 

The Bureau of Labor statistics says that Mining is actually much safer than oil and gas and even the food manufacturing industry.  Coal is among the safest industries in the state and Alpha Coal West’s Steve Rennell says that’s because they have experienced workers.  He says they are trying to focus their attention on workers new to coal.

 “But we notice a difference in our safety internally or the number of what we call near hits when our workforce is made up with people with less tenure. ”

Rennell thinks those in the mining industry have fewer injuries than those in oil and gas because their workers don’t have to drive long distances and can do essentially the same job in the same place each day.