Labor Dept Unit Warns 10 Mine Operators Of Hazard Patterns

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091007-710599.html

By Darrell A. Hughes
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES


WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The U.S. Labor Department on Wednesday said it placed 10 mine operators on written notice, stemming from "potential pattern of violations of mandatory health or safety standards."

Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) sent letters to the mine operators, warning them of the "significant and substantial" violations of federal law.

A "significant and substantial" violation is one that could reasonably be expected to lead to a serious injury or illness, MSHA said in a statement.

Mine operators that fail to reduce violation frequency rates could receive the official notice. MSHA would also issue an order for each violation found after the filed notice, barring miners from the affected area until conditions are improved.

Operators that received a letter include the following: Black Beauty Coal Co. in Indiana, McCoy Elkhorn Coal Corp. in Kentucky, Pleasant View Mining Co. in Kentucky, Doe Run Co. in Missouri and Knox Creek Coal Corp. in Virginia. Among others were Mountain Reclamation & Construction, Spartan Mining Co., Pine Ridge Coal Co., Laurel Coal Corp. and Mammoth Coal Co. - all located in West Virginia.

Labor's written notification is an enforcement initiative designed to encourage mine operators to "integrate necessary improvements into their safety and health programs," said Gregory Wagner, MSHA's deputy assistant secretary for policy.

FULL story at link.