Safety Inspectors Say Violations Increase at Problem Mines

Serious safety violations are still turning up in the nation’s coal mines despite months of special inspections targeting troubled operations, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said Thursday.

Inspectors issued 288 citations in December during so-called impact inspections at 17 mines across the country, MSHA said. The agency had credited impact inspections for a decrease in violations a month earlier. It issued 250 citations to 22 mines in November.

“In spite of our relentless attempts to make mine operators accountable for their workers’ safety and health, some continue to flout their responsibilities,” MSHA director Joe Main said in a statement. “Some operators know that MSHA cannot be at a mine all the time.”

Federal mine safety officials started the inspections after 29 miners died in an April explosion at Richmond, Va.-based Massey Energy Co.’s Upper Big Branch mine. Impact inspections at two Massey mines last month found no violations.

MSHA concentrated on coal mines during December, visiting 13 coal operations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Wyoming.

The agency singled out Wilcoal Mining Inc.’s Tri-State One Mine in Tennessee.

Inspectors issued 21 citations there in December, MSHA said. The most serious included violations for accumulations of coal dust as deep as 24 inches, the agency said.

Coal dust is considered highly explosive. MSHA investigators have determined that dust played a significant role in the Upper Big Branch explosion. Massey has denied that conclusion.

The Wilcoal mine was warned in November to improve its safety record or face stricter enforcement for exhibiting a pattern of violations. MSHA said it cited Wilcoal for more dust violations during January.

Wilcoal did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.

MSHA said it also issued 102 citations at non-coal mines in Kentucky, Illinois, Maine and Idaho.