North Idaho College’s Idaho Mine Safety Program, based at the Workforce Training Center in Post Falls, is marking 10 years of training for Idaho miners. The program launched in 2015 and has received a $179,023 grant from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
NIC Mine Safety Program Reaches 10-Year Milestone
The grant is NIC’s 11th annual MSHA award since 2015. It supports safety education for new and experienced miners, operators and contractors working in both surface and underground mining.
NIC courses have been completed by 3,485 people representing 113 businesses and institutions. The program trains more than 500 individuals each year, while Idaho’s mining industry employs roughly 3,000 people.
“For 10 years, NIC has worked alongside Idaho’s mining industry to help workers build the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe on the job,” said Colby Mattila, executive director of Workforce and Economic Development at North Idaho College.
Federal Mine Safety Grants
The U.S. Department of Labor announced more than $10.5 million in mine-safety grants on Oct. 19. The funding covers more than 300,000 miners across 47 states, territories and tribal lands.
Wayne Palmer, assistant secretary for mine safety and health, said the grants will support safe and healthful workplaces for those miners.
NIC Mining Education Partnerships
NIC supports Safety Fest of the Great Northwest events and partners educationally with the Idaho Mining Advancement Project. The college also provides mine-safety instruction for University of Idaho students in the Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering program.
NIC’s program receives 80% of its funding from federal grants, including $179,032 in federal grant funding, and 20% from nongovernmental sources, totaling $44,758.