Twenty Mines Receive NMA’s 2015 “Sentinels of Safety” and NIOSH Technology Awards

LAS VEGAS – Nineteen American mining operations – six coal mines and 13 mineral/metal mines – are the recipients of the National Mining Association’s “Sentinels of Safety” awards in recognition of their outstanding mine safety achievements during 2015.

The awards were presented to company representatives at a luncheon ceremony in Las Vegas, Nev., during the National Mining Association’s MINExpo INTERNATIONAL® 2016, the largest mining show in the world.

Sponsored annually by the National Mining Association (NMA), the Sentinels awards recognize coal and mineral mining operations in 10 categories for recording the most hours in a calendar year without a single lost-time injury. A minimum of 4,000 hours are required for award consideration. The award categories reflect the safety accomplishments of both small and large mines.

“These awards are a timely reminder of the importance of safety in the mining industry and of the further progress we are making to ensure every miner returns home safely after each and every shift,” said NMA President and CEO Hal Quinn. “The companies we honor today are the true sentinels of safety, not only the safest mines in this country but among the safest mines in the world. The industry is inspired by the example they have set.”

Initiated in 1925 by then Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, a former mining engineer, the Sentinels of Safety Award program has helped foster a strong safety commitment on the part of U.S. mines.

In addition, Arch Coal’s Leer Mine was recognized by Dr. Jessica Kogel, assistant director of mining, Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, NIOSH, who presented the 2016 Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovation Award for extraordinary efforts to apply technology in ways that will improve mine worker safety or health. Leer Mine’s recognition was based on it development of a stockpile safety system that provides dozer and plant operators with a video feed of the location of dozer on the stockpile in relation to the feeders. J.H. Fletcher & Co. and Small Mine Development, LLC received the 2016 Metal/Nonmetal Award for their fan handler. The fan handler reduces exposure to hanging auxiliary fans, protecting miners from the hazards of working around the suspended load.

Sentinels of Safety Award winners in 2015 include:

Underground Coal

King II Mine
GCC Energy LLC
242,309 Injury-Free Hours

No. 88
Blue Diamond Coal Co.
89,556 Injury-Free Hours

Surface Coal

Three Oaks Mine
Luminant Mining
714,065 Injury-Free Hours

Wolf Den Run Mine
Vindex Energy Corp.
27,552 Injury-Free Hours

Coal Processing Facility

New Era Mine
American Coal Co.
224,235 Injury-Free Hours

Miller Creek Preparation Plant #1
Consol of Kentucky, Inc.
26,007 Injury-Free Hours

Underground Metal

Resolution Copper
Resolution Copper Mining LLC
114,341 Injury-Free Hours

Underground Nonmetal

Saint Genevieve
Mississippi Lime Company
306,756 Injury-Free Hours

West Warm Springs Field Project
New Era Petroleum, Inc.
45,345 Injury-Free Hours

Open Pit

Genesis
Newmont USA Limited
506,025 Injury-Free Hours

Barefoot Pit
A.O. Hardee & Son, Inc.
16,332 Injury-Free Hours

Quarry

Drake Quarry
Drake Cement LLC
216,041 Injury-Free Hours

Sylvania Stone Quarry
Hanson Aggregates Midwest, LLC
12,395 Injury-Free Hours

Dredge

Frac Diamond Aggregates, LLC
Shale Support Holdings, LLC
88,417 Injury-Free Hours

New Harvey Sand
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
10,688 Injury-Free Hours

Bank or Pit

Schoolhouse Quartz Plant
Unimin Corporation
204,998 Injury-Free Hours

Portable Screen
McAtee Paving Company
9,469 Injury-Free Hours

Metal/Nonmetal Mill

Edgar Plant
BASF Corporation
395,821 Injury-Free Hours

Lithonia/Pine Mountain Quarry
Hanson Aggregates Southeast, LLC
22,758 Injury-Free Hours

Small operation award winners are indicated in italics.

To see the official Sentinels of Safety homepage, visit NMA’s web site at: www.nma.org.