Do you need to report a mining accident or hazardous condition at a mine, an impoundment or an abandoned mine? 

Here’s the toll-free emergency number you should call –

1-800-746-1553

This emergency number is staffed 24 hours a day by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). 

Mine operators are required by law to report all mining accidents immediately within 15 minutes of when the operator knew or should have known about the accident. 

Hazardous conditions may be reported anonymously by calling the above number or online through MSHA’s Hazardous Condition Complaint System. 

Remember – you do NOT need to identify yourself when reporting a hazardous condition.

MSHA defines accidents in these ways: 

• A death of an individual at a mine; 
• An injury to an individual at a mine which has a reasonable potential to cause death; 
• An entrapment of an individual for more than thirty minutes or which has a reasonable potential to cause death; 
• An unplanned inundation of a mine by a liquid or gas; 
• An unplanned ignition or explosion of gas or dust; 
• In underground mines, an unplanned fire not extinguished within 10 minutes of discovery; in surface mines and surface areas of underground mines, an unplanned fire not extinguished within 30 minutes of discovery; 
• An unplanned ignition or explosion of a blasting agent or an explosive; 
• An unplanned roof fall at or above the anchorage zone in active workings where roof bolts are in use; or an unplanned roof or rib fall in active workings that impairs ventilation or impedes passage; 
• A coal or rock outburst that causes withdrawal of miners or which disrupts regular mining activity for more than one hour; 
• An unstable condition at an impoundment, refuse pile or culm bank which requires emergency action in order to prevent failure, or which causes individuals to evacuate an area; or failure of an impoundment, refuse pile or culm bank; 
• Damage to hoisting equipment in a shaft or slope which endangers an individual or which interferes with use of the equipment for more than thirty minutes; and 
• An event at a mine which causes death or bodily injury to an individual not at the mine at the time the event occurs.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Hazardous Conditions Complaint Form (English) 
• Hazardous Conditions Complaint Form (Spanish)
• CORESafety TV (July 2023 – Extreme Heat) — click here. 
• CORESafety website – go here.