An excellent question was asked of me today, and it made me think back onto an article I wrote, 'The Curse of Knowledge'. In The Curse of Knowledge, I speak about how one person’s common knowledge may not be another’s; that curse has again befallen me, for I have found myself assuming.
The question which was posed to me was this, “What type of paperwork do I need to keep while on a mine site or give to you?” This is a great question, and I hope I can answer it for you.
Give to the Operator: When you first arrive at a mine site to perform work, MSHA requires you, the contractor, to supply the mine operator with what is called a Contractor Registry. For my clients who have signed for my services, in your Compliance Books, you have a Part46Compliance.com designed Contractor Registry that you can give to each location.
You keep: After your arrival, you should be given Site-Specific training. Some Site-Specific is just a basic form, some are long and drawn out, and some is just a quick talk – ‘Be safe’; whatever it is, ask the person giving the training for a copy of the document, or a 5000-23 signed form stating you had the training. The reason for this is that if you are a Miner, it is a requirement that you receive Site-Specific training documented on a 5000-23 for each mine you visit. Also, if your MSHA Approved Training Plan has been written correctly, this training can be used for your New Miner or Annual Refresher training (all clients of Part46Compliance.com have this in their MSHA Approved Training Plan).
You keep and then give to the Operator before leaving: Okay, Site-Specific is done and you are going to your worksite. Upon arrival at where you will be working, you perform your documented pre-shift workplace exam (in the Part46Compliance.com Compliance Books, a sample form is in the back that can be copied and used) – keep this exam until you are done, unless directed differently by your host Operator. Once you have finished with your time onsite, give those documents to the Operator so they may add them to their records (they must keep them onsite for one year).
You keep if …: If you use your vehicle or any mobile equipment on the mine site, you must perform a pre-use safety inspection on that piece of equipment. Per the MSHA regulations, the only time you need to document the inspections is if there is a defect affecting safety on the equipment. Now, if the defect is bad enough to warrant taking it out of service – bad brakes, the window cracked across site-line, bad seat belt, faulty steering, bad wipers and it is raining, etc.; don’t use the equipment until it is fixed – safety defects lead to accidents and citations. Now, once that defect is taken care of, you can toss the inspection sheet. Again, for those who receive my service, a pre-shift mobile equipment exam is in the back of your binders.
You keep: If you are trained on any equipment or process while onsite, get some form of documentation, as that can be added to your yearly training if it coincides with your MSHA Approved Training Plan (Part46Compliance.com has this covered, also).
Keep and give: If an accident occurs while on a mine site, notify the Operator as soon as possible, then you will need to perform a documented accident investigation (a form is included in the Compliance Binder). If you are one of my clients, get a hold of me so we can review all that needs to be done regarding MSHA reporting.
This is just a quick list, but I hope it clears up any confusion.
Remember, staying safe is more than just saying ‘be safe’, it is a concerted effort on your part by not taking shortcuts, being responsible for your own actions, and watching out for each other; let’s make safety a personal value, not a changeable priority.
P46C
Thank you! I always use the Contractor Registry from my binder, and the E-Binder is da'bomb! Everyone one of my inspectors have said they wished everyone did it that way!