A Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission ruled to raise fines to Shelby Mining Company from $US7684 to $10,000 and upheld two unwarrantable failures issued by MSHA in November 2007.
Both violations were recorded at Shelby’s Coke Mine No. 1 near Montevallo and stemmed from the operator’s failure to place ventilation curtains away from the active mine face, as well as the mine’s inadequate preshift examination which failed to detect and correct the missing curtains.
"Before the inspector issued the citation and order in dispute, the mine had experienced six previous methane ignitions, one of which resulted in serious burns to two miners," agency assistant secretary for mine safety and health Joseph Main said.
"Those ignitions should have raised sufficient concern for the mine operator to take the necessary steps to protect its miners."
Coke Mine No. 1 has since closed. MSHA noted that it was “an extremely gassy mine” and liberated more than 7 million cubic feet of methane daily.
