About Us

We are revolutionizing training for the mining industry with our high-quality, engaging instructors.
Higher quality training promotes engagement and participation so employees gain a better understanding of safety procedures and care to ensure they are implemented correctly. 

That is why we wanted to create higher-quality training.

Training that promotes engagement and participation so that your employees gain a better understanding of safety procedures and care enough to ensure they are implemented correctly.

We also offer a full suite of safety services
We want to ensure your mine site is clean and free of MSHA violations. We have enough industry experience to advise on any specific operations or unique situations you may have questions about.

We are a team of highly trained mine safety professionals with decades of combined experience.

We have experience working closely with government agencies like MSHA and have helped over 175 mining companies with personnel training and safety services.

All our instructors have graduated from the most prestigious clown college in the continental U.S. to ensure training is as entertaining as possible.

… Okay not really, but we do structure our courses in a way that makes them easy and enjoyable while treating your employees like real people, not test scores.

Reviews

  • “It was very interesting and opened my eyes to a lot more hazards in the workplace and how important work safety really is. Not only for yourself but to the people around you as well.”
  • “First underground MSHA class, best I’ve ever had and sets the bar really high!”
  • “Better than any online class I have had in the past!”
  • “(The class) kept my attention and was fun and entertaining. Great Instructor.”
  • “Much more engaging than online learning.”
  • “The class was much better then the other I attended on this subject because of the awesome instructor.”
  • “I have only ever done OSHA classes. I would much rather do this class.”
  • “Thank you for the great class, in spite of the content, this was probably the most fun and engaging MSHA training I have attended.”
  • “Ranks right up there with the best of them.”
  • “I liked that the instructor kept great pace and had great interactions with students.”
  • “This training was better then any live MSHA refresher class I have been too.”

Meet the Team

DJ Schmutz

DJ Schmutz

Director of Operations

DJ started his mining career as an Industrial Hygienist (IH) with Rio Tinto at the Kennecott Utah Copper mine. In 2013 he and his family relocated to SW Wyoming to work for FMC (Genesis Alkali Currently) as a safety professional and IH (working in various surface and underground mining areas). He worked there growing in the profession before taking about a 2 year hiatus to work for Church & Dwight as an EHS Supervisor. He came back to Genesis in safety and was tasked with leading their EHS on their Granger solution mine expansion project. It was during this time that MSHA Safety Services was started and in 2021 DJ went full time into the business. At that time we went from 5 clients to currently over 170. DJ relies heavily on his wife for support and direction for business projects. Together they have 6 kids and love doing things together as a family.

DJ graduated from Utah State University with a bachelor’s in both Industrial Hygiene and Biology. He also has a Masters degree in Occupational Safety and Health from Columbia Southern University. DJ holds the credentials of CSP from the BCSP.

DJ acts as our main consultant and resident IH expert. He has 10,000’s of hours with MSHA inspectors over the years and has worked in a variety of mining and mine processing plants.

Rachel Schmutz

Rachel Schmutz

VP and Chief Vision Officer

Rachel is a Co-Founder and responsible for most of the vision and direction of the business. Without Rachel’s vision there would be no MSHA Safety Services. She is a natural leader and excels in big picture thinking. She continues to push the direction and offerings with support from DJ. She also manages a house of 6 kids and runs 2 other businesses.

Kim Redding

Kim Redding

Mine Safety Expert

Kim Redding has been strategizing and collaborating with MSHA Safety Services since their inception in 2020.  He has almost 22 years of MSHA consulting experience and over 30 years of mining experience including being an MSHA inspector. He currently works as an fatal investigator for mining fatalities and supports companies across the US along with his consulting. His specialties included: MSHA citation litigation, Audits, Compliance training, Fatal Reviews and Investigations, Management Training and Support, and general 30 CFR knowledge. He has worked for over 400 mining companies across the US and Canada. We continue to partner on numerous companies support and training engagements.

JEFF CROSS

JEFF CROSS

Southern Regional Safety Director

Jeff began an affiliation with the mining industry in 2007 as a Human Resources, Safety and Training Manager with a contractor providing services to multiple mine site operators and owners. Later, in 2014, he became employed as a Human Resources and Safety Manager with one of the largest mining and aggregate producers in the nation, primarily crushed stone, and with business units in cement and ready-mix operations. Jeff ultimately became a Senior Safety Manager within that aggregate producer organization with responsibilities over twenty-eight operations sites with over six hundred employees. Jeff held that position for three years before joining MSHA Safety Services, Inc.
Jeff has over 15 years of experience interpreting, training miners, and coaching management teams regarding MSHA guidance, regulations, and procedures. He can communicate with MSHA representatives at all levels, having spent countless hours interacting with MSHA inspectors, investigators, and administrators, including field supervisors and district leaders. Jeff has a keen eye for recognizing workplace safety hazards and would be MSHA violations during site safety audits.
Jeff is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served 20 years on active duty in the USA and abroad. While on active duty, Jeff held management roles in maintenance, logistics, human resources, and safety functions.
Jeff has a bachelor’s degree in human resources management from Park University and a Master of Business Administration from Webster University. He works with the Team by assisting with training, consulting, and applying his years of unique and vast experience with MSHA Safety Services, Inc.’s clients.

Whitney Bowden

Whitney Bowden

Office Manager and Technical Support Manager

Whitney Bowden works as an office manager for MSHA Safety Services. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University in 2019. After graduation she was a Research Associate where she worked on a variety of different projects developing skills in handling large amounts of data, streamlining procedures, and setting up different management systems. Whitney has found an appreciation of simplifying and automating processes. At the end of 2021 Whitney chose to take a break from her work to focus on her family. Shortly after this pause she was given the exciting opportunity to continue working with MSHA Safety Services while also being able to be home with her children.

Jenifer Padgett

Jenifer Padgett

North American Regional Safety Director

Jenifer earned a Bachelor’s Degree  in Personnel and Industrial Relations from the University of Cincinnati and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Safety and Health from Indiana State University. She has 29 years of experience in the safety field, starting her mining career in 2009 with Martin Marietta, most recently as Division Safety Manager for their East Division. Now, as a member of the MSHA Safety Services, Inc. team, she serves as the East Regional Safety Director.

Jenifer holds the Certified Mining Safety Professional credential and is a Part 48 MSHA Approved instructor for both surface and underground facilities. She has trained miners at over 100 sites, in the US and internationally, to work safely and to comply with MSHA regulations.

Jenifer has walked side-by-side with MSHA inspectors in both surface quarries and underground mines and learned how to respond to their concerns and how to professionally disagree when MSHA and the operator do not see eye to eye.  She works with the Team by assisting with training, consulting, and sharing her years of experience assisting MSHA Safety Services, Inc.’s clients.

MSHA Safety Services