Pennsylvania Mine Operator Fined for Electrical Hazards
An administrative law judge ruled Rox Coal, Inc. must pay $110,000 for a flagrant violation.
A Pennsylvania mine operator has been ordered to pay $110,000 in civil penalties for a violation MSHA had classified as flagrant. An administrative law judge for the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission agreed with the agency's enforcement action against Rox Coal Inc., the operator of the Geronimo Mine in Somerset County.
In 2007, a miner was shocked while changing a fuse, according to MSHA's news release about the case. Two days prior to the incident, the mine's chief electrician disabled the safety switch.
"Mine operators must take responsibility at all times to prevent conditions that can lead to accidents and injuries," said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, on the Department of Labor website. "Those who deliberately put miners' well-being at risk must be held accountable."