Published: October 24, 2017 |

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U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) joined U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta for a mine safety tour of ICG Beckley, LLC’s Pocahontas Beckley Mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Officials from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), which is an agency within the Department of Labor, also participated in the mine safety tour.

Following an approximately 30-minute ride in a mantrip that transported the group underground, Secretary Acosta and the Senators observed first-hand the operation’s continuous mining machine, which employs a large rotating steel drum equipped with bits to extract coal from the seam. Installed on the continuous mining machine is a proximity detection system, which can detect the presence of personnel or equipment and avert pinning or crushing accidents.

“Touring a West Virginia coal mine with Senators Manchin and Capito gives me a firsthand appreciation for the dedication of the men and women who work in the more than 13,000 mines around the country. Through their hard work, America’s miners fuel our modern-day life. The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that all miners work in a safe and healthy work environment,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta.

“I was glad to join Secretary Acosta today at ICG Beckley, LLC Pocahontas Beckley Mine in Raleigh County. Seeing first-hand the operation of a mine, the environment in which our miners work, and the skill it takes to operate sophisticated machinery underground, changes your perspective on the health and safety of these miners and how dangerous this profession really is. I look forward to working with him to make sure that every miner gets to return home safely to their family at the end of the day,” said Senator Joe Manchin.

“West Virginians know far too well the importance of keeping our miners safe on the job, having endured tragedies like the one that claimed 29 lives at the Upper Big Branch mine. From company leaders, to MSHA officials and career inspectors, to miners themselves, there are many people who play important roles making sure that the coal that powers our nation is mined safely and that workers return home to families at the end of their shifts. I was proud to host Secretary Acosta in West Virginia today so that we could hear directly from miners and gain from their knowledge about this vital industry and ways to improve their health and safety. Our visit highlighted the importance of continued efforts to protect our miners, and was an opportunity for him to see firsthand how this important industry contributes to the state’s economy,” said Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

Prior to the mine safety tour, Secretary Acosta met with MSHA employees at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beckley.

Pocahontas Beckley Mine employs about 170 people, and in 2016, produced 982,725 tons of coal. ICG Beckley, LLC is a subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc.

About Arch Coal
U.S.-based Arch Coal, Inc. is a top coal producer for the global steel and power generation industries. Arch operates a streamlined portfolio of large-scale, low-cost mining complexes that produce high-quality metallurgical coals in Appalachia and low-emitting thermal coals in the Powder River Basin and other strategic supply regions.

To stop by Arch Coal’s website, CLICK HERE

About MSHA
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) works to prevent death, illness, and injury from mining and promote safe and healthful workplaces for U.S. miners. MSHA carries out the provisions of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act) as amended by the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006. The agency develops and enforces safety and health rules for all U.S. mines regardless of size, number of employees, commodity mined, or method of extraction. MSHA also provides technical, educational and other types of assistance to mine operators. They work cooperatively with industry, labor, and other Federal and state agencies to improve safety and health conditions for all miners in the United States.

To stop by MSHA’s website, CLICK HERE

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