The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 15 mines in 12 states in June 2024 and cited mine operators for 195 violations.
The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners.
MSHA’s impact inspections since 2023 have identified 4,075 violations, including 1,119 significant and substantial and 71 unwarrantable failure findings. An S&S violation could contribute in a significant and substantial way to the cause and effect of a safety or health hazard. Violations designated as unwarrantable failures occur when an inspector finds aggravated conduct that constitutes more than ordinary negligence.
The agency conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. Of the 195 violations in June 2024, 31 were evaluated as S&S and three had unwarrantable failure findings. MSHA completed these inspections at mines in California, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
“MSHA impact inspections in June 2024 highlight the hazards created when mine operators fail to follow approved ventilation plans that protect miners from explosions and exposure to respirable dust,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “The Biden-Harris administration’s continued focus on good jobs includes using enforcement tools to identify and eliminate hazards so miners are able to return home each day to their families and their communities safe and healthy.”
Road Fork #52 Mine operated by Spartan Mining Company LLC in Wyoming County, West Virginia, was one of the mines selected for an impact inspection in June. MSHA chose the underground coal mine in response to complaints over the past year about hazardous conditions related to allowing unsafe methane accumulation, tampering with methane monitoring devices and failing to comply with the mine’s approved ventilation plan.
In January 2024, a methane ignition occurred at the Road Fork mine but no injuries were suffered. The mine liberates more than four million cubic feet of methane in a 24-hour period and is currently on a 5-day 103(i) methane spot inspection schedule. MSHA continues to monitor mines that liberate excessive quantities of methane or other explosive gases closely.
On June 24, 2024, an MSHA supervisor arrived at the Road Fork #52 Mine and immediately secured the phone lines before agency inspectors arrived. Once on site, agency inspectors traveled to all five working sections without miners on the surface calling miners underground to warn them of MSHA’s presence. The inspection led MSHA to issue 25 violations of mandatory safety and health standards, eight of which were S&S violations and two designated as unwarrantable failures. Inspectors found the mine operator failed to follow a federally approved mine ventilation plan and allowed particularly dangerous conditions to exist, which exposed miners to ignition and explosion hazards. MSHA inspectors found the following conditions existed at the mine:
- The mine’s approved ventilation plan was not being followed, placing miners’ safety and health at risk. Specifically, inspectors found ventilation controls were not adequate to dilute, render harmless and carry away hazardous gases and dusts; a continuous mining machine was operating with only 15 of 45 required dust suppression water sprays working. Inspectors noted these hazardous conditions minutes after the section foreman had conducted an on-shift dust parameter examination. The agency issued two unwarrantable failure violations, one for not following the approved ventilation plan, and another for the inadequate examination. An MSHA-approved ventilation plan requires proper ventilation as well as functioning water sprays and dust control equipment to significantly reduce potential explosion and respirable dust hazards. The conditions exposed miners to inhalation hazards that could result in lung diseases or other chronic illnesses, and the operator engaged in aggravated conduct constituting more than ordinary negligence.
- Inspectors found methane accumulations over 1 percent where a roof bolting machine was operating, an uncalibrated methane monitor on the roof bolting machine, and accumulations of combustible materials. These conditions exposed miners to methane ignition hazards, especially when considering the inadequate ventilation conditions observed by inspectors. Together, these conditions could be particularly hazardous, considering the high methane level during coal production, an ineffective methane monitor to provide miners early warning of the methane, and combustible materials which could present an ignition or explosion hazard.
- Other conditions found by inspectors at the mine included unsupported roof and ribs, permissibility – standards to prevent ignition or explosion hazards – violations on electric face-equipment, cable splices not effectively insulated, and numerous items laying on the center walkway of the roof bolting machine. These conditions exposed miners to hazards related to possible ignitions or explosions, electrical shock, falling roof or ribs, and trip and fall accidents.