A Wyoming County
MSHA announced Monday it had
recently cited Rhino Eastern’s Eagle Mine 3 with 38 violations, including seven
closure orders for ventilation violations.
“The alarming conditions found at
Eagle Mine 3 show that common-sense practices to prevent black lung, mine
explosions and other hazards were ignored,” said MSHA chief Joseph A. Main in a
news release announcing the violations. “There is absolutely no excuse for
allowing such dangerous conditions to exist, and miners deserve better.”
MSHA inspectors conducted the
impact inspection on June 24. The group arrived at Eagle 3, took over the
mine’s phone system to underground sections of the mine, and began its review
of the operation. MSHA said the team “determined that the mine operator failed
to follow approved ventilation, methane and dust control plans in several
locations of the underground mine.”
New federal mine safety dust
regulations take effect Aug. 1.
