THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IS COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THE AVAILABILITY OF GOOD JOBS TO ALL WORKERS, INCLUDING IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS BY CREATING SAFER WORK ENVIRONMENTS. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES FUNDING FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS TO HELP THE MINING COMMUNITY BETTER IDENTIFY, AVOID, AND PREVENT UNSAFE AND UNHEALTHY WORKING CONDITIONS IN AND AROUND MINES. THE PROGRAM USES GRANT FUNDS TO ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, TO CREATE TRAINING MATERIALS AND PROGRAMS, OR BOTH. THE MINE IMPROVEMENT AND NEW EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACT OF 2006 (MINER ACT) REQUIRES THE SECRETARY OF LABOR (SECRETARY) TO GIVE PRIORITY TO MINE SAFETY DEMONSTRATIONS AND PILOT PROJECTS WITH BROAD APPLICABILITY. THE MINER ACT ALSO MANDATES THAT THE SECRETARY EMPHASIZE PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS THAT TARGET MINERS IN SMALLER MINES, INCLUDING TRAINING MINE OPERATORS AND MINERS ABOUT NEW MSHA STANDARDS, HIGH-RISK ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER IDENTIFIED SAFETY AND HEALTH PRIORITIES.MSHAS PRIORITIES FOR THE FY 2023 BROOKWOOD-SAGO GRANTS ARE: OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS CAUSED BY EXPOSURES TO RESPIRABLE DUST AND CRYSTALLINE SILICA, POWERED HAULAGE AND MOBILE EQUIPMENT SAFETY, MINE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, MINE RESCUE, ELECTRICAL SAFETY, CONTRACT AND CUSTOMER TRUCK DRIVERS, LACK OF TRAINING FOR NEW AND INEXPERIENCED MINERS (INCLUDING MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS PERFORMING MINING TASKS), PILLAR SAFETY FOR UNDERGROUND MINES, LACK OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (INCLUDING FALLS FROM HEIGHTS), AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF MINERS. MSHA IS INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING PROGRAMS EMPHASIZING TRAINING ON MINERS STATUTORY RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO BE PROVIDED A SAFE AND HEALTHY WORKING ENVIRONMENT (INCLUDING PART 90 MINERS), TO REFUSE AN UNSAFE TASK, AND TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE SAFETY AND HEALTH CONDITIONS AT THE MINE. MSHA EXPECTS BROOKWOOD-SAGO GRANTEES TO DEVELOP TRAINING OR EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND OR PROVIDE MINE SAFETY TRAINING OR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, TO RECRUIT MINE OPERATORS AND MINERS TO PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING, AND TO CONDUCT AND EVALUATE THE TRAINING PROGRAM. MSHA WILL GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS THAT FOCUS ON TRAINING MINE OPERATORS AND MINERS ABOUT MSHA STANDARDS, HIGH-RISK ACTIVITIES OR HAZARDS IDENTIFIED BY MSHA. SPECIAL ATTENTION WILL ALSO BE GIVEN TO PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS THAT TARGET SMALL MINES AND UNDERSERVED MINES AND MINERS WITHIN THE MINING INDUSTRY0F 1 , AND TO PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS WHICH PRIORITIZE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY.