In this episode of Mining Minds, the crew sits down with Diane Watson — retired Supervisory Special Investigator with MSHA, firefighter, EMT, and lifelong safety advocate. From leaving home at 15 and living in a woodshed to becoming one of the most respected voices in mine safety, Diane's story is one of resilience, grit, and purpose.

She walks us through her incredible journey: from driving haul trucks at Homestake McLaughlin Mine to shaping safety culture as an MSHA investigator and now as the founder of Silverado Compliance Solutions. Diane opens up about her early struggles, the mentors who inspired her, the challenges of being a woman in mining, and the lessons she learned leading inspections, investigations, and mine rescue competitions across the U.S. Please help us welcome Diane Watson to the Face!

Episode Sponosors:

Rockwell Industrial and Mining

Motor Mission Machine and Radiator

Ill Zakiel

Diane Waston - Sliverado Complaince Solutions

Silverado Compliance Solutions

Instagram @firezin

Chapters:

02:08 Introducing Diane Watson: From Woodshed to the Face

04:09 Growing Up Tough and Leaving Home at 15

11:57 Landing Her First Mining Job at Homestake McLaughlin

13:00 Learning the Haul Truck and Building Confidence

15:49 Overcoming Stereotypes: Women in Mining in the '90s

17:22 Transitioning from Operator to Safety Professional

26:00 The MSHA Journey: Inspections, Challenges, and Ethics

35:14 Mine Rescue, Mentorship, and National Competitions

44:16 Leadership Lessons from the Face to the Federal Level

50:06 Investigations, Integrity, and Lessons from the FBI

57:01 Balancing Compliance with Common Sense

01:03:11 Founding Silverado Compliance Solutions

01:10:05 Retirement, Mentorship, and Giving Back to Mining

01:13:35 Full Circle: From the Cabin to Building a Legacy