Marion County Mine
An underground coal mine operated by Marion County Coal Resources Inc. in Marion County, West Virginia, this mine was selected given its compliance and hazard complaint history. Inspectors arrived there Aug. 14, 2024, reviewed examination records and then traveled underground. MSHA identified 12 violations of mandatory safety and health standards, including five evaluated as S&S, and two unwarrantable failure findings. Specifically, inspectors found the following conditions existed:
- Accumulations of combustible materials throughout the mine, particularly on and around belt conveyers. Inspectors found accumulations of loose coal and coal fines in contact with numerous belt rollers that could lead to ignition. Inspectors issued an unwarrantable failure order for exposing miners to fire and explosion hazards.
- Previous examinations did not fully detect and report hazardous conditions underground along the belt conveyors and led to an unwarrantable failure finding. MSHA remains vigilant in ensuring operators conduct adequate required examinations, which includes identifying, correcting and recording hazards, especially where a reasonable likelihood of injury exists. A foreman died at the Marion County Mine in June 2021 when a portion of the mine rib sheared off and pinned him against a continuous mining machine as he tried to install a rib bolt. The incident occurred because the mine operator did not perform an adequate evaluation of the hazardous rib conditions to determine the safest corrective action and did not have effective policies or procedures in place to support or otherwise control mine rib corners effectively before the continuous mining machine had advanced enough to install rib bolts.
- Inspectors also observed unsupported roofs in several mine locations and found the head drive pulley of a belt conveyer guarded inadequately. In May 2024, MSHA issued a safety alert related to roof control and continues to remind operators to install and maintain adequately designed roof support where miners work or travel, adhere to their MSHA-approved roof control plans and prohibit any work or travel under an unsupported roof.
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Original article published by MSHA