$250,000 in Brookwood-Sago money goes out for training that targets how miners die

MSHA awarded $250,000 in Brookwood-Sago grants on Oct. 26 to organizations that provide mine safety and health training, with the money directed at the hazards behind mining deaths and injuries rather than general instruction.

The program is named for two disasters: the 2001 explosion at Brookwood, Alabama that killed 13 miners, and the 2006 Sago mine explosion in West Virginia that killed 12. The grants are small but targeted, and they exist mainly to put better instruction in front of working miners, including at small operations that struggle to fund training on their own.

It follows the $10.5 million in state grant funding MSHA announced in June to support mine safety and health training nationwide. Both programs route federal money through states and training providers rather than directly to mines, which is why the money is not always visible to the operators who could use it.

The practical move for an operator is to ask your state agency or regional training provider what this cycle covers. It is often refresher instruction, instructor development or training materials at reduced cost, and it is usually committed well before the fiscal year ends.