MSHA New Miner Training: A Part 46 Crash Course
Updated on December 14, 2015 by Sales Team
MSHA New Miner Training: Where To Begin?
There are several training requirements everyone must complete before they are given MSHA Part 46 certification and cleared to work on a mine. For a person who has never worked on a mine the first requirement is MSHA New Miner Training.
In this post, I’ll discuss the requirements of Part 46 new miner training. I’ll go through the Part 48 requirements in a later article. If you’re unsure whether you need Part 46 or Part 48, you need a definitive answer as soon as possible. You can find out if you need Part 46 or Part 48 training by answering a few, simple questions.
Who Should Take An MSHA New Miner Training Course?
- Newly Hired Mine Employees
- Construction Personnel
- Maintenance Personnel
- Mine Contractors
To meet MSHA certification training requirements under Part 46, new miners must receive at least 24 hours of mine safety training from a “Competent Person” designated in their Part 46 Safety Training Plan.
MSHA New Miner training must include a minimum of four hours of instruction in nine specific areas before a new miner can begin work.
MSHA New Miner Training Requirements: Mandatory Topics
- Introduction to the work environment, mine tour, mining methods and operation
- Instruction on recognition and avoidance of hazards
- Emergency procedures, escape, and firefighting
- Health and Safety aspects of the tasks assigned
- Instruction on statutory rights of miners and their representatives
- Authority & responsibility of supervisors and miners’ representatives
- Introduction to the rules and procedures for reporting hazards
- First Aid and CPR
- Introduction to the mine’s Hazard Communication program, or HAZCOM.
Part 46 regulations require at least 4 hours of MSHA new miner training prior to the trainee working on-site. This initial training allows the miner to work on a mine site under the observation of an experienced miner while they complete the rest of their MSHA New Miner training. Most companies will have trainees complete at least 8 hours of classroom training.
Part 46 also has time restrictions, though they generally aren’t an issue. The trainee must complete first aid/CPR training within 60 days of starting their training. The trainee must also complete their entire MSHA new miner training within 90 days of starting the training.
Where can you complete the classroom requirements of new miner training?
That depends on your needs. You can hire an MSHA trainer to come to your office. You can find a local class to attend. Or you can move at your own pace by completing large portions of your MSHA new miner training online.
What about the other required hours?
The remaining hours of training cover topics that teach health and safety at the mine. On the job training is not mandatory but highly recommended. Other required training includes:
- Task Training
- Site-Specific hazard training
How do you complete the rest of your MSHA training? Get step-by-step instructions through all the required MSHA training and paperwork. Download your free Contractor Success Kit to speed up and simplify your MSHA compliance.
Once all of your training is complete, what’s the next step? As soon as anyone finishes new miner training, they need to correctly and completely fill out their Part 46 New Miner certificate. And (of course) it’s a bit more complicated than it sounds.
Click here for a step by step guide to correctly filling out your new miner training paperwork.