Safety checks ordered by Governor Fletcher reveal damaged units

Contact: Mark York 502-564-3350

FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 7, 2006) – An ongoing review of Self-Contained Self Rescuer (SCSR) devices used by Kentucky miners showed 119 were not in proper working order and have been taken out of service and replaced.

Governor Ernie Fletcher ordered the state Office of Mine Safety and Licensing (OMSL) in May to re-emphasize proper care and use of SCSR units following the Kentucky Darby LLC mine accident May 20 that claimed the lives of five miners. OMSL issued an emergency bulletin and safety analysts visited underground mines to review the use and care of the units with miners.

“Miners who find themselves in an emergency must rely on the integrity of the SCSR units to save their lives,” Governor Fletcher said. “The safety bulletin and the work of our mine safety analysts have revealed many of the units were not in proper working order and needed to be replaced. An untold number of lives may have been saved by this review process.”

The May 24, 2006, Emergency Awareness Bulletin sent to Kentucky coal mines announced safety meetings on SCSR units. Mine safety analysts demonstrated use of the units and how to properly check their working order. The safety meetings were conducted at the beginning of each shift or at the shift change.

“If the SCSR unit is maintained and working properly, and if the miner knows how to use it correctly, it can save their life in an emergency,” said Susan Bush, commissioner of the Department for Natural Resources.

Coal companies are required to perform the proper checks and testing on the SCSR units used in their mines, and all miners must be knowledgeable of the proper operation and maintenance of their SCSR devices.