$1.3M Mine Safety Grant Awarded to University of Arizona

The University of Arizona will conduct two research studies on ways to improve mine safety using $1.3 million in grants from a mine safety foundation.

The two grants announced Monday will pay for a risk management study by the university’s college of public health and a study by its mineral resources institute on improving mine safety training. They were made by the Alpha Foundation for the Improvement of Mine Safety and Health.

The risk management project will evaluate whether new mining company safety initiatives are reducing injuries and injury-related costs. The research on training will provide help to mine safety workers charges with implementing federal safety standards.

The U.S. mining industry employs about 2 million people, including 50,000 in Arizona.