May
20
From: SteelGuru.com
Industry representatives and mine labor advocates clashed today on the proper role of the Mine Safety and Health Administration in US House of Representatives testimony.
The diverging views surfaced at a hearing of the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections that was called to evaluate MSHA’s recent safety policy changes and consider other efforts that could modernize mine safety.
May
13
From: Wall Street Journal
By KRIS MAHER
Rescuers looking for survivors following the Massey Energy Co. mine explosion last year felt their own safety was compromised by the company and federal safety officials, according to investigation transcripts.
Several rescuers said Massey and the Mine Safety and Health Administration both ignored protocols for having back-up teams available, among other things. The accident at the Upper Big Branch, W.Va., mine in April 2010 was the worst U.S. coal-mining disaster in 40 years.
Apr
29
(NYSE: WLT) (TSX: WLT), the world’s leading, publicly traded “pure play” producer of metallurgical coal for the global steel industry, issued the following statement today from President – U.S. Operations Walt Scheller regarding weather-related impacts to its operations following the April 27 storms in central and west central Alabama.
“We experienced several large tornadoes near our Alabama operations over the past 24 hours. We had one injury at a surface mining operation which required first aid treatment, but thankfully, we have no other reports of injuries to our employees at this time,” Scheller said. “While both the No. 4 and No. 7 mines avoided direct impact by the tornadoes, they experienced power outages which have temporarily impacted production. We expect production to resume as soon as all power is restored and any related underground issues are resolved. Our surface mining operations suffered varying degrees of damage, mostly superficial with the exception of our Taft Choctaw mine, where storm-related damage cut power to the mine and its electrically operated dragline. At this time, we are uncertain how long it will take to restore power to this facility. Our metallurgical coke plant in North Birmingham was unaffected by the storms and is operating normally.”
Apr
15
From: Wall Street Journal
By KRIS MAHER
Federal mine safety officials placed two coal mines in Kentucky and West Virginia on notice that they could be shut down for any future safety violations, using for the first time an enforcement tool that has been on the books for more than 30 years.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration said Bledsoe Coal Corp.’s Abner Branch Rider Mine in Leslie County, Ky., and New West Virginia Mining Co.’s Apache Mine in McDowell County, W.Va., failed to correct safety problems after being targeted for stricter oversight late last year. Representatives of New West Virginia Mining and James River Coal Co., of Richmond, Va., which owns the Bledsoe operation, couldn’t immediately be reached to comment.
Apr
07
Tests show airtight safety chambers survived, worked after deadly W.Va. coal mine explosion
By TIM HUBER AP Business Writer
CHARLESTON,, W.Va. April 6, 2011 (AP)
Apr
01
McDOWELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) — It’s a perspective from deep underground, inside a West Virginia coal mine that America will get the chance to see as the Spike TV series “Coal” premieres Wednesday evening.
Mike Crowder, CEO of Cobalt Coal, says planning started more than a year ago.
Thom Beers of “Original Productions” contacted Cobalt Coal about the series.
Beers also produced “Deadliest Catch,” “Ax Men” and “Ice Road Truckers.”
Crowder says when Beers first came to him about the series, he was hesitant and concerned miners would be portrayed in a bad light.
Mar
17
From: MetroNews (WV)
MSHA Coal Administrator Kevin Stricklin, one of the faces of the UBB tragedy, said the truck and its equipment will provide key information about dangerous gases underground.
Mar
09
From: Platts
Republicans in the US House of Representatives used a audit that was newly made public to upbraid the Mine Safety and Health Administration on Thursday for failing to use all the regulatory powers at its disposal.
The internal review that the agency submitted last March to the Senate Appropriations Committee revealed gaps at agency field offices in the implementation of spot inspections at mines, improper documentation of violations, insufficient supervisory review of violations and inadequate review of gravity of certain violations.
Mar
03
By VICKI SMITH Associated Press
Federal mine regulators need stronger laws to protect the nation’s underground coal miners, particularly when it comes to protecting whistle blowers and criminally charging operators who deliberately cut corners on safety, the head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration said Thursday.
In testimony to the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, MSHA chief Joe Main called for more legislation and a bipartisan effort to save lives, support good operators and hold bad operators accountable.