WYOMING COUNTY, W.Va. — A Wyoming County coal mine has exposed miners to black lung and explosion hazards according to the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.
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.