Our Health & Safety Vision
Our goal is to be recognized as the industry leader by all metrics that measure the Health & Safety of our people. We empower our employees to champion the safety process and encourage their active involvement in our continuous efforts to prevent accidents in the work environment. By providing a healthy and safe work environment that rewards achievement and encourages employee participation in the safety process, we aim to be the employer of choice in the communities where we operate. For example, the Gibson Mine in Princeton, Indiana was recognized by the Holmes Safety Association, Indiana Council, for having the best safety record during the fourth quarter of 2010.2010 Mountaineer Guardian Safety Awards
Each year, the West Virginia Office of Miner's Health, Safety & Training, in conjunction with the West Virginia Coal Association, awards the Mountaineer Guardian Safety Awards. We are proud to announce that both of our West Virginia operations - Mountain View in Tucker County and Tunnel Ridge in Ohio County - received this prestigious award. In all, twelve underground operations were bestowed with the Guardian Safety Award, while thirty operations overall received this honor.
Mountain View previously received this award in 2007; 2010 was Tunnel Ridge's first year of eligibility.
Operations are nominated for the award by state inspectors and the awards are given based on a variety of criteria, including:
- A lack of fatal accidents over the judging period
- Safety Initiatives within the operating company
- The operating company's cooperation with regulatory agencies
- Low accident-incidence rates
- A favorable violation history
We are proud of Mountain View and Tunnel Ridge for their health and safety accomplishments during 2010!
2009 National Mine Rescue Competition
In late August and early September of 2009, Mine Rescue teams from coal operations across the nation convened in Nashville, Tennessee, for the biannual Mine Rescue, First Aid, Bench and Preshift Competition. After four days of demanding competition, several of our teams placed impressively in the competition. The Cardinal Team (pictured below) from our Warrior Coal operation in Madisonville, Kentucky, earned First Place in the Overall Mine Rescue and Combination competitions. The Cardinal Team was captained by Kevin Vaughn. In that same event, the Elk Creek team from Hopkins County Coal, near Madisonville, Kentucky, and the Dotiki Team from Webster County Coal, in Nebo, Kentucky, finished fifth and sixth, respectively. In the First Aid team competition, the Cardinal Team was National Runner-Up. Jerry Hedgepath from the Warrior Safety Department captained the First Aid Team.
Don Messel (pictured, bottom) from the Gibson County Coal operation in Princeton, Indiana, won First Place in the Biopak 240-S Benchman Competition. Michael Richards from Excel Mining in Pilgrim, Kentucky, placed tenth in this competition.
In the Biopak 240-R Benchman Competition, we had three Top Ten finishers: Chris Dexter (Dotiki Team, 4th), Todd Watson (Elk Creek Team, 5th), and Robbie Meadows (Elk Creek Team, 7th).
We are very proud of all of our teams that competed in the National Competition.
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| Front Row (L-R): Kyle Gauthier, Scoop Operator; James Menser, Unit Mechanic; Bryan Branson, Belt Mechanic; Jerry Hedgepath, Safety; Rick Ashby, Belt Examiner Back Row (L-R): Barry Rickard, Section Foreman; Marcus Arnold, Safety; Joel Bradley, Engineering Manager; Kevin Vaughn, Safety Director; Mike Burnette, Safety |
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| Don Messel, Mine Surveyor, Gibson County Coal, LLC |