The order signals that the US Mine Safety and Health Administration believes conditions in a portion of the West Virginia mine could cause serious injury or death.
Investigators from the agency--and their state counterparts --continue to probe an April blast at the mine that killed 29 workers. It was the deadliest US coal mine accident since 1970.
The order triggered strong opposition from the Richmond, Virginia-based coal producer, which disclosed it in a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday. The mine's operating subsidiary, Performance Coal, was issued another such order in July for improper storage of explosives, according to an earlier company filing.
The July order was closed out after the explosives were properly stored and moved out of the mine. The company had submitted a plan to rectify the more recent order issued September 2. Neither order was directly related to the April explosion.
"The order states that a travel way in a section of Upper Big Branch--that is not part of the 'accident investigating scene' and is not otherwise in use but is subject to periodic inspections--was not being maintained adequately for examinations," the company wrote Friday in its filing.
The company said multiple conditions led to the order, including "adverse roof and rib conditions and water accumulations that could expose mine examiners to the potential hazard of falling material and potential stumbling hazards and otherwise could impede travel."
The mine is currently under MSHA control as the agency continues its investigation.
Massey said it does not agree with the order and is mulling whether to challenge it before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission. Still, the company on Friday was busy implementing the new plan that MSHA officials had approved.
A spokesman with the Department of Labor had not responded to questions by press time Tuesday.
China Chemical Weekly: http://news.chemnet.com/en/detail-1411716.html
