Mine Workers Tipped Off Before 'surprise' Inspections, Federal Regulator Says

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WASHINGTON — Some mine companies are tipping off their underground workers before federal officials make surprise inspections, an illegal practice that has become more prevalent since a West Virginia explosion killed 29 miners, the nation's top mine official said Thursday.

"We're looking at this as a chronic problem without question," Mine Safety and Health Administration director Joe Main told The Associated Press. "We have found enough evidence to know that we need to act to beef-up enforcement of the law to prevent this advance notice."

Main's comments came as his agency issued a special guidance bulletin to mines around the country clarifying the ban on giving advance notice of inspections.

The government has stepped up surprise inspections nationwide in the wake of the April explosion at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. Some workers at the mine testified that managers found ways to tip off miners ahead of time so they could pass inspections. Massey officials have denied issuing any illegal warnings, but the company faces civil and criminal investigations.

Advance ...
... notice could give miners anywhere from 10 minutes to more than an hour to hide safety problems such as improper ventilation or disabled methane monitors while inspectors make their way from the main office to locations thousands of feet underground.

MSHA has already issued 28 citations for advance notice violations this year. It issued 31 for all of last year - the highest number in a decade.

To combat the problem, MSHA has turned to more aggressive tactics like commandeering the phones as soon as inspectors arrive or driving up in cars the mine company won't immediately recognize. But it's become a dangerous cat-and-mouse game as some mines post lookouts or install infrared beams that alert them when anyone enters the property.

"At some of these mines, there's just one long dirt road where they can see you coming," said Eddie Sparks, MSHA's acting assistant district manager for enforcement in Barbourville, Ky. "Some of the coal truck drivers can get on the radio and call ahead before you ever get to the mine."

Sparks said that's what happened on April 19 when inspectors drove up to Manalapan Mining Co.'s RB No. 12 mine in Harlan County, Ky. Inspectors monitoring CB radio heard truck drivers alerting the company.