MSHA Requirements

MSHA Part 46 Compliancy General Overview

Confused about what MSHA Part 46 requires? Simple. If you're a stone, sand, gravel, limestone and other non-metal surface mine, you need a Training Plan, Training Material, and a Record of Training. Click on the links below to learn more about each. And remember, both new miners and mining contractors need the same training!

MSHA Training Definitions
Training Plan
Training Material
Record of Training

MSHA Part 46 Training Definitions

Type of Training Simplified Definition
New Miner A person beginning employment as a miner or an independent contractor performing work at a mine. 30 CFR § 46.5
Newly Hired Experienced Miner A person who has completed 24 hours of New Miner training with at least 12 cumulative months of surface mining experience. 30 CFR § 46.6
New Task A work assignment or job component requiring specific knowledge or experience that the miner does not currently possess. 30 CFR § 46.7
Annual Refresher Training on changes at the mine or other subjects relevant to mining operations that could adversely affect the miner's health or safety. 30 CFR § 46.8
Site Specific Hazards Instruction on the hazards and emergency procedures at the mine. Required for any person present at the mine who is not a miner, including office or staff personnel, delivery workers, commercial over-the-road truck drivers, construction workers, maintenance/service workers, customers, vendors, or visitors. 30 CFR § 46.11

MSHA Training Plan

MSHA Part 46.3 - A training plan is considered approved by MSHA if it contains, at minimum, the following five items of information:

  1. Company Name & ID - The name of the production-operator or independent contractor, mine name(s), and MSHA mine identification number(s) or independent contractor identification number(s).
  2. Responsible Person - The name and position of the person designated by the operator who is responsible for the health and safety training at the mine. These operators may list more than one person as being responsible for training.
  3. Teaching Methods & Time Spent per Subject - A general description of the teaching methods and the course materials that are to be used in the training program, including the subject areas to be covered and the approximate time or range of time to be spent on each subject area.
  4. Trainers & Training Subjects - A list of the persons and/or organizations that will provide the training, and the subject areas in which each person and/or organization is competent to instruct.
  5. Evaluation Methods - The evaluation procedures used to determine the effectiveness of training.

MSHA Training Material

MSHA Part 46 Requirements can be confusing. Who needs how much of what by when? The time guidelines below should help clarify the minimum MSHA Part 46 training requirements.
New Miner
Newly Hired Experienced Miner
Annual Refresher
New Task Training
Site-Specific Hazards

New Miner - 24 hours must be completed no later than 90 days after starting work

Before starting work, at least 4 hours in the following categories:

  1. Intro to Mine Environment
  2. Hazard Recognition and Avoidance
  3. Emergency Medical Procedures
  4. Health and Safety Aspects of Tasks
  5. Rights of Miners
  6. Line of Authority
  7. Reporting Hazards

Within 60 days of starting work, no time minimum for the following categories:

  1. Respiratory Devices
  2. First Aid

Within 90 days:

  1. Any remainder of 24 hour requirement

Newly Hired Experienced Miner - Must be completed no later than 60 days after starting work

Before starting work, no time minimum for the following categories:

  1. Intro to Mine Environment
  2. Hazard Recognition and Avoidance
  3. Emergency Medical Procedures
  4. Health and Safety Aspects of Tasks
  5. Rights of Miners
  6. Line of Authority
  7. Reporting Hazards

Within 60 days of starting work, no time minimum for the following categories:

  1. Respiratory Devices

Annual Refresher

Annual refresher training requires 8 hours minimum and must occur within 12 months of starting work or last annual refresher.

New Task

New Task training does not have a time minimum and must occur before the miner is assigned to a new task.

Site-Specific Hazards

For non-miners only, can occur when necessary.

MSHA Record of Training

MSHA Part 46.9 - A Record of Training must be either on MSHA Form 5000-23 or contain, at a minimum, the following five items of information:

  1. Trainee Name - The printed full name of the person trained.
  2. Competent Person & Training Details - The type of training, the duration of the training, the date the training was received, the name of the competent person who provided the training.
  3. Company Name & ID - The name of the mine or independent contractor, MSHA mine identification number or independent contractor identification number, and location of training (if an institution, the name and address of the institution).
  4. False Certification Statement - The statement, "False certification is punishable under § 110(a) and (f) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act," printed in bold letters and in a conspicuous manner.
  5. Certification Statement & Signature - A statement signed by the person designated in the MSHA-approved training plan for the mine as responsible for health and safety training, that states "I certify that the above training has been completed."

MSHA Compliancy and Safety Training Products

Basic - $599.00
If you already have a Training Plan and Record of Training and just need to provide training, our basic 3-disc DVD with printable tests and answer guides may be your best choice. All you need is a DVD player and a TV or projector to provide 8+ hours of required training.
Product Details  Buy Now

Standard - $699.00
Our standard Surface Miner Training package includes our core 8+ hours of training delivered to a laptop or PC with minimal setup time. This software also comes with integrated tests, basic record-keeping, and printable training completion certificates.
Product Details  Buy Now

Advanced - $1,399.00
For a comprehensive training solution with advanced tracking and reporting features, Surface Miner Training with MSHA Compliancy Tools is your best choice. This option provides our core 8+ hours of training with integrated tests and helps you manage your new miner, experienced miner, and annual refresher training as required by MSHA's Part 46.
Product Details  Buy Now



Basic - Surface Miner Training 3-Disc DVD Set

Improved On-Your-Site Training at Your Convenience for Less

This 3-DVD set of Surface Miner Training material helps reinforce any existing MSHA training program.

Please Note: While integrated testing, MSHA Training Plans, and Records of Training are not bundled with this product, we provide links and downloads to help you test trainees and create your own compliant documents.

With this package you'll get:

Training Plan Resources

  • Downloadable MSHA Training Plan template
  • Link to MSHA online Training Plan Advisor

Training Content

  • Over 8 hours of training when accompanied with testing
  • 27 training modules based on MSHA Part 46 requirements

Testing and Record of Training Resources

  • Downloadable knowledge assessment tests and answer guides
  • Downloadable MSHA Form 5000-23
  • Downloadable compliant Record of Training

Buy Surface Miner Training Basic

Standard - Surface Miner Training with Basic Recordkeeping and Completion Certificates

Improved On-Your-Site Training at Your Convenience for Less

This light version of Surface Miner Training software provides flexible access to MSHA training, integrated testing, basic recordkeeping, and printable completion certificates.

Please Note: While MSHA Training Plans and Records of Training are not bundled with this software, we provide links and downloads to help you create your own compliant documents.

With this package you'll get:

Training Plan Resources

  • Downloadable MSHA Training Plan template
  • Link to MSHA online Training Plan Advisor

Interactive Training Content

  • Over 8 hours of interactive, computer-based training and knowledge assessment tests
  • 27 training modules based on MSHA Part 46 requirements

Integrated Testing, Recordkeeping, and Completion Certificates

  • Basic trainee input and recordkeeping functions
  • Printable certificates of completion to help prepare your MSHA Records of Training

Record of Training Resources

  • Downloadable MSHA Form 5000-23
  • Downloadable compliant Record of Training

Buy Surface Miner Training Standard

Advanced - Surface Miner Training with MSHA Compliancy Tools

Improved On-Your-Site Training at Your Convenience for Less

Award-winning Surface Miner Training software bundled with our MSHA compliancy tools providing a fully-integrated training management solution. Set up Training Plans, deliver training, test trainees, and produce Records of Training in a centralized and searchable desktop system.

With this package you'll get:

Integrated Training Plans

  • Our proprietary desktop learning management system with configurable MSHA Training Plans for New Miners, Experienced Miners, and Annual Refresher training
  • Templates for New Task and Site-Specific Hazard training

Interactive Training Content

  • Over 8 hours of interactive, computer-based training and knowledge assessment tests
  • 27 training modules based on MSHA Part 46 requirements

Automated Records of Training

  • Automated features that produce formatted and printable MSHA Records of Training at the click of your mouse

Versatile Tracking and Compliance Reporting

  • Tracking and recordkeeping features for meetings, classroom sessions, and other custom training events
  • Reporting features for determining and printing reports on MSHA compliancy status

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MSHA Compliancy Resources

Still need help but don't want to buy anything? Check out our downloads and links below. We've done the research so you don't have to.



Compliance Help


Training Plan Resources


Record of Training Resources

  • Download Our Template – Here's our blank Record of Training template in Microsoft Excel format based on an MSHA template.
    Record of Training Template

  • Download MSHA's 5000-23 Template – Here's a blank PDF of MSHA's official 5000-23 Record of Training ready for you to fill out and print.
    http://www.msha.gov/forms/5000-23.pdf


Knowledge Tests and Answer Guides

  • Download our Tests – Here's a zip file with tests for all of our modules.
    Download Knowledge Tests

  • Download our Answer Guides – Here's a zip file with answer guides for the tests for all of our modules.
    Download Answer Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Who is MSHA?
  2. What is MSHA Part 46?
  3. Who needs to comply with MSHA Part 46?
  4. Who needs the training outlined by MSHA Part 46?
  5. What training does MSHA Part 46 require for New Miners?
  6. Where can I buy a product that will make me compliant with MSHA Part 46 right out of the box?
  7. What do I need to be compliant with MSHA Part 46?
  8. Why would somebody buy your MSHA Part 46 products when MSHA provides so many resources online, not to mention free training from their Field Personnel?
  • Who is MSHA?

  • The Mine Safety and Health Administration, MSHA, is a federal organization within the United States Department of Labor that provides governmental oversight of the country's mining industry.

    For more information on MSHA, click here to visit their site:
    http://www.msha.gov/

  • What is MSHA Part 46?

  • MSHA Part 46 is a section of Title 30 Code of Federal Regulations, 30 CFR, which defines health and safety rules and compliance requirements for non-metal surface mines.

    Coal and other commodities that employ underground mining methods are governed by Part 48, a much more rigidly enforced set of federal regulations.

    For more information, click here to visit the MSHA Part 46 section of Title 30 CFR:
    http://www.msha.gov/30cfr/46.0.htm

  • Who needs to comply with MSHA Part 46?

  • MSHA Part 46 defines requirements for both miners at non-metal surface mines and contractors providing on-site services at surface mines. This is a point of confusion for many mine contractors, so…

    Remember that BOTH:

    • SURFACE MINERS and
    • SURFACE MINE CONTRACTORS

    have the exact same Training Plan, Training Topics, and Record of Training requirements.

    For more information, click here to visit MSHA Part 46.12 and 46.2 of Title 30 CFR.
    http://www.msha.gov/30cfr/46.12.htm
    http://www.msha.gov/30cfr/46.2.htm

  • Who needs the training outlined by MSHA Part 46?

  • MSHA Part 46 defines training topics, minimum time requirements, and deadlines for training completion for:

    Training Type Training Topics Minimum Time Requirement Deadlines
    New Miners See List of 9 Topics 24 Hours (Including 4 Hours Before Starting Work) 90 Days
    Newly Hired Experienced Miners See List of 8 Topics None 60 Days
    New Tasks Health and Safety Aspects of Tasks None Before Starting Task
    Annual Refresher Changes at the Mine 8 Hours 12 Months
    Site Specific Hazards Hazards at the Mine None When Necessary

    Click here to view the required topics

  • What training does MSHA Part 46 require for New Miners?

  • MSHA Part 46 requires New Miners to be provided with no less than 24 hours of training no later than 90 days after starting work at the mine. But don't let that scare you. Only 4 hours of that training needs to take place BEFORE beginning work at the mine.

    Click here to view the required topics

  • Where can I buy a product that will make me compliant with MSHA Part 46 right out of the box?

  • Nowhere. No matter what any training product provider or training facility says, you still need to have firsthand, in-person training at a mine that includes at least:

    • A MINE TOUR and
    • INSTRUCTION ON THE RECOGNITION AND AVOIDANCE OF HAZARDS PRESENT AT THE MINE.

    If you're a MINE CONTRACTOR, this means you should coordinate with the surface mines you'll work with for mine-specific information, tours, and training.

  • What do I need to be compliant with MSHA Part 46?

  • Put simply, you need:

    • A TRAINING PLAN formatted to comply with MSHA requirements
    • TRAINING that covers required MSHA Part 46 topics
    • A RECORD OF TRAINING formatted to comply with MSHA requirements

    So you need paperwork that shows MSHA you've planned, executed, and documented the training MSHA requires, for specific personnel, that meets the minimum time requirements, within the specified time periods.

    A bureaurocratic hassle? Absolutely. But our Surface Miner Training products and Compliance Resources are designed to help ease the pain. Decide for yourself with our samples and FREE downloads.

  • Why would somebody buy your MSHA Part 46 products when MSHA provides some resources?

  • Good point. If you're getting everything you need, by all means, continue to do so. But if you're like most of the industry, you're confused by MSHA's dizzying website, unsure how to interpret the vagaries of Part 46, and frustrated by schedule limitations of other services.

    Here's what you're buying from us:

    • AWARD-WINNING TRAINING that covers way more than the basic MSHA Part 46 requirements
    • WORRY-FREE COMPLIANCY TOOLS that either do most of the work for you or help with necessary resources
    • FREEDOM to train your people on-site when it works for you
    • LOWER TRAINING COSTS compared to sending your personnel to training facilities, waiting for trainers to visit your site, or having to do all the compliancy research and documentation yourself
    • UPDATEABLE AND UPGRADABLE TRAINING software that will stay current and relevant indefinitely

    Don't get us wrong. You'll still have to do some work. But we can make the whole process easier than anyone else in the industry. Decide for yourself with our samples and FREE downloads.




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