The awards banquet was held at the annual Holmes Safety Association meeting in Wheeling on August 27. Foundation affiliates, Riverton Coal's Kingston No. 1 mine and Kingston Processing were awarded MSHA's Pacesetter award. Kingston No. 1 and Riverton's Simmons Fork operations received safety awards issued by the state.
The Pacesetter award recognises achievement of outstanding safety records in order to stimulate greater interest in safety and encourage development of more effective accident prevention programs among the nation's mineral extractive industries. MSHA presented the awards to coal mining operators in separate state districts within 12 categories (according to number of employees) that exhibited the lowest lost-time accident incidence rate last year.
The West Virginia state awards acknowledged exceptional achievement in mining categories of underground, surface, preparation plant, quarry, and contractor operations. Foundation affiliates visited the podium twice for safe operations in both underground and surface mining categories for tons removed with zero loss-time accidents.
Foundation is the nation's fifth largest coal producer with 13 coal mines and related facilities in several states, including Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, and Wyoming.
