The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a significant development concerning Morton Salt Inc.'s Weeks Island Mine and Mill in New Iberia, Louisiana. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has removed the site from its pattern of violations (POV) list, following sustained improvements in the mine's safety and compliance measures.
This development comes after the site was initially placed on the POV list in December 2022, a designation reserved for mines with a high number of significant and substantial safety violations and compliance issues. MSHA itself refers to this designation as one of its most stringent enforcement actions.
MSHA’s Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations, Melanie Calhoun, acknowledged the efforts of the mine's operators in enhancing workplace safety. Calhoun remarked, “MSHA’s top priority is the health and safety of America’s miners, and we recognize the efforts made by Weeks Island Mine and Mill to take the corrective actions needed.”
Since being placed on the POV list, Weeks Island has implemented a rigorous system of safety protocols including enhanced training, hazard mitigation strategies, and stricter monitoring measures. These efforts culminated in MSHA's February 2025 inspection which, notably, did not reveal any violations or orders deemed significant and substantial.
The MSHA will persist in monitoring the mine to ensure ongoing compliance, providing continued support to the operation. The agency emphasizes the importance of proactive safety measures and encourages mining operations to utilize its Pattern of Violations Calculator and Significant and Substantial Calculator tools. These resources assist operators in assessing their performance and taking necessary corrective actions.
The Department's stance highlights the responsibility that mine operators have in monitoring their violation and injury records to prevent future POV notices.
