Federal regulators have released data from impact inspections conducted in April, while highlighting the severe safety hazards found at Tram Energy LLC #1 in Kentucky’s Floyd County.

The 14 mines inspected during the month collectively received 186 citations and nine orders, with the May 8 impact inspection of a Tram Energy evening shift resulting in 23 citations and six unwarrantable failure orders.

On May 21, an additional 104(d)(2) order was issued for failure to conduct adequate examinations of the electrical mining equipment. As a result, the entire underground portion of the mine was shut down until May 30.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration said the mine’s ventilation plan required a minimum air velocity of 4000 cubic feet per minute where coal was being cut to direct dust away from miners. However, federal officials found a coal-cutting machine operating with no air movement and no line curtain to control airflow.

The inspectors observed visible float dust suspended in the air, exposing miners to a potential explosion and increasing their risk of developing black lung and other respiratory diseases.

MSHA reported that the mine operator failed to conduct adequate pre-shift examinations prior to permitting miners underground and as a result, cited it for hazardous conditions that should have been recognized – including missing cones to mark an intersection of rail track, failure to maintain a refuge alternative within 1000 feet of the working face, no sign indicating a door in the primary escape way and accumulations of combustible materials.

“Combustible materials, including coal, dust, and debris, were under and in the adjacent entries and crosscuts along the entire length of the #1 belt conveyor and on the roof, ribs, floor and electrical installations along the #2 belt conveyor for three crosscuts,” MSHA said, adding that the hazardous conditions had not been recorded or corrected despite 32 citations for similar violations over the past two years.

MSHA said violations were also issued pertaining to the mine's approved emergency response plan because the communications and tracking system required to track the locations of miners in the event of a mine emergency was not functioning.

“While statistics on compliance with regulations and fatality and injury rates show mine safety is moving in the right direction, not all mines are cooperating,” MSHA assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health Joseph A Main said.

“The conditions our inspectors observed at Tram Energy LLC #1, which resulted in the closure of the mine for more than three weeks, demonstrated a complete disregard for the health and safety of miners and for safe mining practices.”

The agency’s special impact inspections began in April 2010 following an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia that left 29 workers dead.

The push involved mines that warranted increased attention and enforcement by the agency due to a poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns.

These included high numbers of violations or closure orders; indications of operator tactics, such as advance notification of inspections that prevented inspectors from observing violations; frequent hazard complaints or hotline calls; plan compliance issues; inadequate workplace examinations; a high number of accidents, injuries or illnesses; fatalities; and adverse conditions such as increased methane liberation, faulty roof conditions and inadequate ventilation.

Since April 2010, MSHA has conducted 616 impact inspections and issued 10,483 citations, 970 orders and 44 safeguards.