Mine Safety and Health Administration
Contact: Amy Louviere
Phone: (202) 693-9423
Released Friday, October 3, 2003
MSHA Recognizes Safest U.S. Mining Operations
WASHINGTON - Eight mining operations are being honored for their outstanding safety records during 2002 in the annual Sentinels of Safety awards program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the National Mining Association (NMA).
"Each of these companies has truly demonstrated that safety is a value in their workplace in order to receive the department's annual Sentinels of Safety Award," said Dave D. Lauriski, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. "Through their actions and safe work practices, more miners will return home to their families at the end of every shift."
Since 1926, mining operations in various operational categories have been recognized for achieving the highest number of employee work-hours without an injury that resulted in lost time from work. To qualify for a Sentinels of Safety award, a company must compile at least 30,000 employee work-hours during the year without a lost-time injury or fatality. The Sentinels of Safety award is considered the most prestigious award in the mining industry - as well as the oldest established award for occupational safety.
The eight winners and their categories are:
- Creech #1 Mine, Powell Mountain Coal Co., Inc., St. Charles, Va. (underground coal)
- Eagle Butte Mine, RAG Coal West, Inc., Gillette, Wyo. (surface coal)
- Sweetwater Mine, The Doe Run Company, Viburnum, Mo. (underground metal)
- West Mine, Mississippi Potash, Inc., Carlsbad, N.M. (underground nonmetal)
- Aurora Division Mining Area, PCS Phosphate Co., Inc., Aurora, N.C. (open pit)
- 5 R Constructors, LLC Quarry, 5 R Constructors, LLC, Atlanta, Ga. (quarry)
- 19th Ave. Operation, Rinker Materials Western, Inc., Phoenix, Ariz. (bank or pit)
- Porter Plant, Hallett Materials of Texas, Porter, Texas (dredge)
