In figures released late last week, the agency said that it issued a total of 194 citations, orders and safeguards in June; of those, 154 citations, 12 orders and three safeguards were issued to coal mines and metal/nonmetal operations were given 21 citations and four orders.
In May, MSHA issued 428 citations overall, including 339 citations, 12 orders and two safeguards in coal and 62 citations and 13 orders to metal/nonmetal operations.
“The impact inspection program has been an invaluable tool for identifying and addressing mines with serious compliance issues,” assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health Joseph Main said.
“While we are still finding mines with chronic problems, we are cautiously optimistic that the majority of operators are getting the message.”
MSHA spotlighted the issues at one US operation, S&H Mining’s S and H operation in Anderson County, Tennessee, which received an impact inspection the evening of June 3.
Following the capture of the mine’s phones, inspectors issued 32 citations and orders, almost half of them significant and substantial.
The agency said it was the operation’s second impact inspection; the first was conducted in March.
As a result of the inspection, MSHA issued five 104(d)(1) closure orders and one 104(d)(1) citation for the operator’s unwarrantable failure to conduct and record on-shift belt line inspections.
“One 104(d)(1) citation was issued for unwarrantable failure of the mine operator to install a male disconnecting device for a battery charger,” it said.
“One 104(d)(1) order was issued for unwarrantable failure of the mine operator to maintain the continuous mining machine in permissible condition [and] a 104(b) closure order was issued for failure to abate a previously cited violation for not being able to calibrate the methane monitor on the continuous mining machine.
“These conditions, if left unchecked and in concert with other conditions, could potentially cause a mine fire, explosion or electrocution of miners.”
S and H also received citations for inadequate roof support, electrical violations and combustible material accumulations, and violations for failure to record a smoking article search, a nonpermissible roof-bolting machine, an inadequate fire suppression system on a surface belt drive, and an inoperative methane monitor on the mine’s continuous mining machine.
The agency’s special impact inspections began in force in April 2010 following the explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine where 29 workers were killed.
The push involved mines that merit increased attention and enforcement by the agency due to a poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns, including high numbers of violations or closure orders; indications of operator tactics, such as advance notification of inspections that prevent 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 292 impact inspections, which have resulted in 5,186 citations, 483 orders and 19 safeguards.
