State Safety

From: Craig Daily Press

Approaching the end of his first year on Twentymile Coal Company’s mine rescue team, Tyler Hampton has learned a lot.

Training alongside fellow rookies and veterans of the team has shown him just how important his job is, whether in a real situation or in competition to determine readiness.

“You definitely get a lot more experience with the guys who have been doing this for a while, but we learn a lot from everybody in every competition,” he said.

Hampton was one of 16 members of the Twentymile team who competed in the Colorado Coal Association’s three-day Mine Rescue, First … Continue Reading

From: RepublicHerald.com (PA)

By Frank Andruscavage

FRACKVILLE – Despite temperatures above 90 degrees Wednesday, members of a Schuylkill County deep mine rescue team honed their skills during a contest.

The event – featuring members of the Anthracite Underground Rescue Inc. based in Tremont – had crews showing their skills at tasks ranging from underground mine rescue to first aid.

The exercise, held at the Schuylkill County Fire School grounds in West Mahanoy Township, is part of the required continuing education for mine rescue teams, and was conducted by the state Bureau of Mine Safety and federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

CHARLESTON, W.Va., July 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) today announced that its mining subsidiaries earned eight statewide safety awards at West Virginia’s Annual State Council Meeting of the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association.

The following company operations received West Virginia State Mine Safety Awards for outstanding 2010 performances: among underground operations, Mingo Logan’s Mountain Laurel Mountaineer II mine and Wolf Run’s Imperial mine; among surface mines, Coal-Mac’s Holden 22 mine and Eastern’s Birch River mine; and among preparation plants, Eastern’s Birch River plant and Wolf Run’s Sentinel plant.

Moreover, two of Arch’s subsidiary operations were … Continue Reading

From: Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has a new head of mine safety. The Utah Labor Commission has named David “Kent” Houghton as the new director of the state Office of Coal Mine Safety.

The office was established in 2008 at the recommendation of the Utah Mine Safety Commission following the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster. In August 2007, six miners were trapped when an area of the mine collapsed.

Three rescuers died days later trying to reach the trapped miners. The mine has since been permanently shuttered, and their bodies were never recovered.

Soruce:  West Virginia

The Mining and Reclamation Rules and the Surface Mining Act will be updated on July 30, 2011 on our DMR web page.  The update includes the changes that occured during the 2011 legislative session and all OSM decisions to date.  If you have any questions, please contact Charles Sturey at (304) 926-0499 ext. 1526.

 West Virginia’s Mining related codes and regulations may be found here.