MSHA continuing regular inspections during government shutdown

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will continue regular mine inspections and environmental sampling during the October 2025 U.S. Federal government shutdown.

In anticipation of the shutdown, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a plan on Sept. 26 to continue limited activities until Congress and President Trump approve the FY26 federal budget. The plan outlines how many employees will be furloughed and how many will be retained to keep essential operations running.

Of its 1,590 employees, MSHA retains 879, or about 50%. 674 are necessary to protect life and property, and the remaining 204 are necessary to perform activities necessarily implied by law. The Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health is Presidentially-Appointed and Senate confirmed and not subject to furlough.

Complaint investigations, air and dust samples continuing

The DOL’s plan stated MSHA is authorized to continue inspections and sampling, along with activities to support those operations, until Congress and President Trump approve the FY26 federal budget.

MSHA employees are excepted from suspension requirements in order to carry out enforcement activity in the following areas:

Necessary to protect life and property

• Enforcement (ENF Coal and MNM) Inspections: MSHA will continue to conduct statutory mandated inspections and investigations. Mine Plan Approvals Section 103(a) of the Mine Act, Congress provided that MSHA shall:
  • Inspect each underground coal or other mine in its entirety at least four times per year
  • Inspect each surface coal or other mine in its entirety at least two times per year
• Technical Support (TS) Inspections
  • Investigations of targeted mines, specific hazards, accidents, and miners’ safety complaints will be performed. 
  • Select sample analysis, such as dust and air samples, will continue since they represent potentially serious and imminent safety problems.
• ENF Coal and MNM, TS, A&M, Program Evaluation and Information Resources (PEIR): Mine emergency support
• EPD, TS: Building security services

Necessary to perform activities necessarily implied by law

• MSHA Office of Assistant Secretary (OAS), ENF Coal and MNM, EPD, TS, A&M, PIER:Executive, Managers, Supervisors, Staff Support in support of enforcement and technical support inspections.
• MSHA will conduct orderly shutdown activities to the extent the activities are not otherwise excepted under the plan or necessary to resume orderly operations.

MSHA completely suspended the following operations

• Compliance assistance through the Office of Educational Field and Small Mine Services
• Employee miner training activities
• MSHA's Part 100 conferences
• Health and safety training and education programs
• Collection of civil monetary penalties for violations of the Mine Act
• Approval and certification of underground mine equipment
• All contracts will be issued a stop work order
• Administration of the state grants program
• All MSHA administrative and management services will be discontinued including those regular activities supporting the Agency's budget process, property management, records management, ethics issues, employee training, and safety and health employee support services.