KY & IN Mine Safety Reports

MHSA reports significant safety improvements (Arlington, VA) Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reports that six of the eight mine operations that received written safety warnings last June have met or exceeded the criteria for reducing violation rates. MSHA is watching one mine that underwent a change in ownership and mine management, while another mine that received a warning has been inactive since July. MSHA notified 20 additional mine operators that they have met the criteria for a potential pattern of violations. MSHA closely monitored the seven mines compliance records for 90 days. In order to be removed from consideration for this round of pattern of violations notices, operations needed to reduce their violation rate by 30 percent - or to levels below the national average. Operator name S&S violation rate .77 Mine/Blue Diamond Coal Co. 71 percent reduction Black King/Elk Run Coal Co. 32 percent reduction Chess Processing/Elk Run Coal Co. 47 percent reduction Eagle .1/Peachtree Ridge Mining Co. Temporarily idled as of July 10, 2007 Oak Grove Mine/Oak Grove Resources New review period to be initiated due to change in ownership/mine management Oro Grande Quarry/Riverside Cement Co. 54 percent reduction Straight Creek .1/Left Fork Mining Co. Inc. 60 percent reduction Tilden Mine/Tilden Mining Co. 45 percent reduction MSHA reviews compliance records of each mine at least annually to identify those with potential patterns of violations. MHSA reports significant safety improvements (Arlington, VA) Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reports that six of the eight mine operations that received written safety warnings last June have met or exceeded the criteria for reducing violation rates. MSHA is watching one mine that underwent a change in ownership and mine management, while another mine that received a warning has been inactive since July. MSHA notified 20 additional mine operators that they have met the criteria for a potential pattern of violations. MSHA closely monitored the seven mines compliance records for 90 days. In order to be removed from consideration for this round of pattern of violations notices, operations needed to reduce their violation rate by 30 percent - or to levels below the national average. Operator name S&S violation rate .77 Mine/Blue Diamond Coal Co. 71 percent reduction Black King/Elk Run Coal Co. 32 percent reduction Chess Processing/Elk Run Coal Co. 47 percent reduction Eagle .1/Peachtree Ridge Mining Co. Temporarily idled as of July 10, 2007 Oak Grove Mine/Oak Grove Resources New review period to be initiated due to change in ownership/mine management Oro Grande Quarry/Riverside Cement Co. 54 percent reduction Straight Creek .1/Left Fork Mining Co. Inc. 60 percent reduction Tilden Mine/Tilden Mining Co. 45 percent reduction MSHA reviews compliance records of each mine at least annually to identify those with potential patterns of violations. (Copyright 2007 Newsroom Solutions, LLC) Delivered by Newsroom Solutions RNS-12-11-07 0600CST