At a glance
- Awards are given annually for mining health and safety innovations.
- There are four categories: Coal, Metal, Industrial Minerals, and Stone, Sand & Gravel.
- Applications are accepted by email.
- The application process is simple and involves answering several questions.
Background
The NIOSH Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovations Award recognizes mines and companies that have made an extraordinary effort to apply technology or improve processes in innovative ways, above and beyond mandatory requirements, to improve mine worker safety and health.
In mining, technology should not be a one-time "fix" but rather an evolving and continuously improving process of applying new and better technologies and systems to solve problems. To recognize these safety milestones, NIOSH created the Technology Innovations Award with the goal of promoting technology identification, adoption, and dissemination throughout the mining industry. Mines and companies that qualify are invited to self-apply.
Submit a nomination
Nominations are due on July 1
Send an email to NIOSH Mining (mining@cdc.gov) and address the following questions:
- Which sector is most applicable to your submission? Choose from metal, coal, industrial minerals, or stone, sand & gravel
- What problem were you solving
- What is the technology or process and how does it work?
- How did you modify and evaluate the technology or process to solve your specific problem?
- What did you do to implement the technology or process at your mine?
- What health and safety benefits have been realized or are expected
- What mining operation or company is implementing the technology?
- Who is the primary contact for this submission? (Name, email address, phone number)
Pictures and diagrams are optional but may be attached to your submission to help us understand the technology. The submission does not need to be elaborately produced and the text can be in lay terms.
Next steps
When we receive your nomination, we will send you an acknowledgement and additional information on what to expect during the evaluation process.
NIOSH will contact you if we need further clarification during the review process.
Although nominations will be accepted throughout the year, please note that awards are given annually, and the award date will correspond to the meeting date for the sponsoring organization. In order to allow time for full consideration of each nomination, nominations must be received no later than the listed deadline. Nominations received after the deadline will automatically be considered for an award in the subsequent year.
Annual award presentations
Awards are presented each year at a ceremony hosted by an association affiliated with each of the four sectors.
- Industrial Minerals: Essential Minerals Association conference in Washington DC
- Stone, Sand & Gravel: NSSGA Legislative & Policy Forum
- Metal: NMA safety award ceremony
- Coal: NMA safety award ceremony
Award winners will be given details about when and where they will receive their award.