A professional who inspects underground or open-pit mines to ascertain compliance with contractual agreements and with health and safety laws. Responsibilities include:

• Inspects for rotted or incorrectly placed timbers, dangerously placed or defective electrical and mechanical equipment, improperly stored explosives, and other hazardous conditions.
• Tests air quality to detect toxic or explosive gas or dust, using portable gas-analysis equipment, in order to control health hazards and to reduce injuries and fatalities.
• Observes mine activities to detect violations of federal and state health and safety standards.
• Inspects mine workings to verify compliance with contractual agreements concerning production rates or mining within specified limits.
• May instruct mine workers in safety and first aid procedures.
• May be designated according to type of mine inspected as Coal-Mine Inspector; Metal-Mine Inspector.
• May specialize in inspection of specific conditions and be designated Gas Inspector.
• When employed by governmental agency (instead of mine operator), conducts periodic mine inspections specifically to enforce federal or state mining laws and is known as Mine Inspector, Federal; Mine Inspector, State.