ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced a reorganization designed to centralize its oversight of certain cross-cutting, compliance-related actions. MSHA's Office of Assessments, Accountability, Special Enforcement and Investigations will incorporate the management, support and coordination of both routine and special assessments, as well as agency headquarters accountability functions and special enforcement strategies.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In a speech before attendees of the West Virginia Coal Association's 39th Annual Mining Symposium in Charleston today, Assistant Secretary of Labor Joseph A. Main discussed the current state of mine safety and health – and ongoing efforts to improve it – by both the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration and the mining industry at large.

Fatality prevention program to focus on 14 safety standards

BURLINGTON, Vt. – A federal judge has granted the U.S. Department of Labor a preliminary and permanent injunction to enjoin the operators of a Pawlet slate milling operation from interfering with, hindering or delaying an inspection by the department's Mine Safety and Health Administration.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 321 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 174 citations and 19 orders, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 112 citations and 16 orders.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 315 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and six metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 200 citations, 50 orders and one safeguard, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 62 citations and two orders.

Massey issued 369 citations and orders with $10.8 million in civil penalties

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration will begin implementing pre-assessment conferencing procedures in January 2012 to help reduce any backlog of future violations before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission. Under the procedures in most MSHA districts, a mine operator and miners' representative may request a conference regarding a contested citation or order only after MSHA proposes a penalty assessment, and any settlements require approval by the commission.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that eight mines around the country have received letters putting them on notice that each has a potential pattern of violations of mandatory health or safety standards under Section 104(e) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. The PPOV screening from which these letters resulted represents the second since MSHA established the current criteria and procedures in September 2010.

The eight mines that received letters are as follows:

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 226 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at eight coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 145 citations and 18 orders, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 51 citations and 12 orders.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that an Administrative Law Judge with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission has upheld citations issued last May to Connolly-Pacific Co.'s Pebbly Beach Quarry, located on Catalina Island, Calif. The citations have now been appealed to the Commission.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 374 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 18 coal mines and two metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 292 citations, 28 orders and one safeguard, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 52 citations and one order.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that it has reached a settlement with GCR Tire Centers regarding the termination of an off-road tire technician who had complained about unsafe work practices at the Notasulga Quarry in Lee County, Ala.

The agreement resolves a formal discrimination complaint that MSHA filed in court on behalf of the employee, after the agency's investigation determined that the company fired the employee in retaliation for reporting safety concerns.

Miners, mine operators urged to "knock out" winter hazards

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration has launched its annual "Winter Alert" campaign to call attention to the dangers caused by cold weather. Statistics show that coal-mine explosions occur most often during the colder months, October through March.

4th operation to be placed on potential pattern of violations status

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration has placed Kevin R. Yonts' Mine No. 2 in Letcher County, Ky., operated by Vision Coal, on potential pattern of violations status based on data gathered during agency audits. MSHA found that 19 out of 39 audited mines either failed to report injuries or underreported the lost time associated with reported injuries, and four of the 19 met the criteria for a PPOV.

National competition marks 100 years and 60 since it was last held in Columbus, Ohio

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced $1 million in grant funds to eight organizations that provide education and training within the mining industry. The Brookwood-Sago grants program was established through a provision in the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006. This funding will be used to develop and implement training and related materials for mine emergency preparedness, as well as for the prevention of accidents in underground mines.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 356 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 16 coal mines and four metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 272 citations, 37 orders and two safeguards, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 45 citations.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 166 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at seven coal mines and one dimension stone quarry last month. The seven coal mines were issued 127 citations and four orders; the quarry operation was issued 27 citations and eight orders.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 377 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at 15 coal and seven metal/nonmetal mine operations last month. The coal mines were issued 208 citations and seven orders; the metal/nonmetal mines were issued 148 citations and 14 orders.