MSHA Releases March Impact Inspection Results
The agency issued 152 citations, 14 orders, and one safeguard during the month.
DOL's Mine Safety and Health Administration released the results of its March impact inspections. The inspections—conducted at 10 coal mines and three metal and non-metal mines—resulted in 152 citations, 14 orders, and one safeguard, MSHA reported.
The inspections were completed at various mines, including Peabody Midwest Mining LLC's Francisco Underground Pit in Indiana. MSHA completed an inspection at the mine on March 18 and issued six 104(a) citations and five 104(d)(1) unwarrantable failure orders. One 104(d)(1) order was given for a loose coal rib that put miners and risk of being struck by falling rock. Another was issued for accumulation of combustible dust, and another for inadequate on-shift examination during the day shift.
MSHA also conducted an inspection at Essroc Cement Corp. in West Virginia on March 25. During this inspection, MSHA issued four citations to the company and 17 citations and one order to the contractors on site due to improper contractor miner training of 32 miners. The miners were withdrawn from the mine. In addition, MSHA observed an unattended skid steer fork lift parked with the forks used to lift the front tires off the ground, which is an unsafe method of preventing a parked fork lift from moving, according to MSHA.