May 2012 Impact Inspections

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that federal inspectors issued 158 citations, 26 orders and three safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at nine coal mines in May. In a separate two-day inspection blitz, MSHA inspectors targeted 40 underground coal mines formerly owned by Massey Energy, where they issued 225 violations. The incident that precipitated these inspections was a burned conveyer belt at Road Fork No. 51 Mine in Wyoming County, W.Va. No similar violations were found during the subsequent 40 inspections.

Click here for: MSHA report with spreadsheet (pdf).

April 2012 Impact Inspections

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that federal inspectors issued 335 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at eight coal mines and four metal/nonmetal mines in April. The coal mines were issued 254 citations, 19 orders and one safeguard, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 52 citations and nine orders.

Click here for: MSHA report with spreadsheet (pdf).

March 2012 Impact Inspections

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that federal inspectors issued 249 violations during special impact inspections conducted at nine coal mines and two metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 187 citations, 25 orders and two safeguards, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 35 citations.

Click here for: MSHA report with spreadsheet (pdf).

February 2012 Impact Inspections

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that federal inspectors issued 253 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at 15 coal mines and two metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 235 citations and eightorders, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 23 citations and six orders.

Click here for: MSHA report with spreadsheet (pdf).

January 2012 Impact Inspections

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 253 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 12 coal mines and four metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 171 citations, 15 orders and two safeguards, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 64 citations and one order.

Click here for: MSHA report with spreadsheet (pdf).

December 2011 Impact Inspections

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 321 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 174 citations and 19 orders, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 112 citations and 16 orders.

 

Click here for: MSHA spreadsheet (pdf).

November Impact Inspections

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that federal inspectors issued 315 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and six metal/nonmetal mines in November 2011. The coal mines were issued 200 citations, 50 orders and one safeguard, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 62 citations and two orders.

These inspections, which began in force in April 2010 following the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine, involve mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to their poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns, including high numbers of violations or closure orders; frequent hazard complaints or hotline calls; plan compliance issues; inadequate workplace examinations; a high number of accidents, injuries or illnesses; fatalities; and adverse conditions such as increased methane liberation, faulty roof conditions and inadequate ventilation.

Click here for: MSHA Notice including spreadsheet (pdf).

September MSHA Impact Inspection Results

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that federal inspectors issued 374 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 18 coal mines and two metal/nonmetal mines in September 2011. The coal mines were issued 292 citations, 28 orders and one safeguard, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 52 citations and one order.

Special impact inspections, which began in force in April 2010 following the explosion at Upper Big Branch Mine, involve mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to their poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns, including high numbers of violations or closure orders; indications of operator tactics, such as advance notification of inspections that prevent inspectors from observing violations; frequent hazard complaints or hotline calls; plan compliance issues; inadequate workplace examinations; a high number of accidents, injuries or illnesses; fatalities; and adverse conditions, such as increased methane liberation, faulty roof conditions and inadequate ventilation.

Click here for: MSHA Press Release (pdf), Results Spreadsheet (pdf)

 

MSHA announces results of March impact inspections

MSHA announced that federal inspectors issued 134 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at eight coal mines and eight metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 55 citations, four orders and one safeguard; the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 69 citations and five orders.

Click here for: MSHA Press Release (pdf).