The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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April 28, 2010

Coal miners evacuated after surprise inspections

Officials made move after multiple violations found; Massey disciplines workers

By Mannix Porterfield Register-Herald Reporter

BECKLEY — Coal workers were evacuated after multiple violations were uncovered in surprise inspections this month and last at three Massey Energy mines, one of the look-sees coming four days after an explosion at the firm’s Upper Big Branch mine in Raleigh County that left 29 men dead.

Before regulators entered two of the mines, the Mine Safety and Health Administration said it commandeered the telephone lines to keep Massey officials from tipping off underground workers that inspectors had arrived so the company couldn’t tamper with evidence.

Massey said it took disciplinary action at the Road Fork No. 51 of Spartan Mining Co. in Wyoming County, firing one foreman and suspending a second (who eventually quit), along with two miner operators.

Additionally, the company said it fired a miner operator at the Cook Mine at Independence Coal Co. in Boone County, and half a dozen other miners at the Randolph Mine of Inman Energy also in Boone County. Among those terminated at the Randolph Mine, where MSHA said a fire had erupted, was a supervisor. Massey disputed the presence of any fire.

“Even though Massey disagrees with some of the citations written, there were conditions found that did not meet industry requirements or Massey standards, which equal or exceed industry requirements,” the company said.

MSHA said it detected serious violations at all three installations.

“Each one of these inspections resulted from anonymous complaints and reflects a serious disregard for the safety and health of the miners who work at these operations,” said Joe Main, assistant labor secretary for mine safety and health.

“What’s especially troubling is that one of the complaints came in just days after the explosion at Upper Big Branch mine.”

Tuesday’s revelation by MSHA followed by one day a news conference in Charleston where Massey directors and CEO Don Blankenship insisted the company has never compromised safety for profits, and suggested those who maintained differently — from President Barack Obama to heads of two leading labor unions — had engaged in “the big lie.”

MSHA said it entered the No. 51 mine after getting anonymous complaints that two continuous miners were running on a single split of air, and that coal was being cut farther than approved, where a number of face methane ignitions occurred but were not reported to federal regulators.

The agency said it issued eight 104 (d) (2) withdrawal orders over a failure to sustain minimum air quality ventilation requirements, that Massey had allowed combustible materials to accumulate and violated roof control standards.

Until the problems were repaired in the March 24 inspection, MSHA said, miners were ordered out of the work section.

That same day, MSHA said it was called in anonymously following a small fire at the Randolph Mine and learned the operator failed to provide proper ventilation to lower the risk of explosions and exposure to mine dust.

Nine withdrawal orders were issued at that mine, and, as with the No. 51 mine, miners were cutting coal illegally by being too deep in the section. No air was moving in some sections because line curtains were rolled up for 60 feet, MSHA said. And rock dust hadn’t been applied in seven entries to the required 40-foot distance.

Four days after the April 5 Upper Big Branch explosion, MSHA said, it inspected the Cook Mine, based on a complaint about water in the escapeway. Six orders were issued for taking illegal deep cuts of 30 feet into the face when the plan allowed only a distance of 20 feet.

MSHA said it also cited the company for blocking a primary escapeway with water, inadequate pre-shift and on-shift examinations, and excessive widths beyond the roof control plan parameters. Inspectors also discovered a number of roof bolts had been sheared off and damaged.

“Massey Energy takes violations of regulatory requirements and Massey requirements seriously and will hold those that violate such requirements accountable,” the company said.

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com

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