Praise for Massey’s safety achievements and new ideas

Massey Energy honoured mine rescue teams throughout the US coal industry as well as the winner of its prestigious Bradbury Safety Award and related Best of Class winners at the company’s 12th Raymond A. Bradbury Awards Banquet in Charleston, West Virginia on March 7. The Bradbury Safety Award rewards excellence at Massey’s safest mining operation. In 2005, Massey Energy achieved the best safety performance in its history by recording a non-fatal days lost (NFDL) rate of 2.41, compared to an industry average of 3.36.

"It was another record performance and something we are extremely proud of," said Don L. Blankenship, Chairman and CEO. "This is especially impressive considering Massey members worked in excess of 13,000,000 hours for the year." The record safety performance for 2005 improved upon Massey’s previous record performance in 2004. Massey subsidiary Martin County Coal Corp, located in Martin County, Kentucky, was the 2005 winner of the Bradbury Safety Award. Martin County members worked over 460,000 hours during 2005 without a single lost time accident. Martin County Coal President Dave Hensley accepted the award on behalf of Martin County’s 155 miners. Other finalists for the award included Endurance Mining Company, Green Valley Coal Co, Nicholas Energy Co and Progress Coal Co. ‘Best of Class’ awards honouring the safest Massey preparation plant, underground mine, surface mine, highwall miner and trucking operation were also awarded. To qualify for the award, an operation must experience no lost time or restricted duty accidents.

In 2005, several Massey operations qualified in each class. The Best of Class winners were:

• Preparation plants: Delbarton Mining Co — Delbarton plant
• Underground mines: Green Valley Coal Co — White Buck #2
• Surface mines: Logan County Mine Services — South Surface Mine
• Highwall miners: Logan County Mine Services — North Surface highwall
• Trucking: Martin County Coal Corp — Martin County Trucking

The "Stan Suboleski Mine of the Year" award, recognizing the top operation that met or exceeded production goals while maintaining a zero accident rate, was awarded to Progress Coal Co’s Twilight surface mine.

"Many of the safety procedures that are already in place at Massey and some other coal companies need to be implemented into law," said Blankenship. He suggested the following items for implementation:

• All personnel carriers should be required by law to have a canopy to protect miners from overhead hazards and side netting to minimize the impact of materials falling into the personnel carrier
• All newly manufactured roof-bolting machines should be equipped with deflector pads attached to the automatic temporary roof support to better protect miners from rib or roof falls
• Continuous miners should be equipped with technology that allows the operator to remotely remove the continuous miner from unsupported or inadequately supported roof conditions in order to make repairs. This would include ‘panic switch reset,’ ‘remote methane detection system reset’ and ‘tram breaker automatic reset’ technologies. Additionally, continuous miners should be equipped with isolator switches designed to break the circuit at the power center instead of at the continuous miner
• Rock trucks capable of carrying 50 t or more should be equipped with stairways instead of ladders to facilitate safe travel to and from the operator’s compartment
• Clothing with reflective tape, decals, patches or other reflective materials should be worn by each miner so as to make the miner clearly visible from the front, side and rear.

"Even one accident is too many," stated Blankenship. "Industry wide implementation of these safety initiatives will reduce accidents. We strongly encourage legislators and industry participation to support legislation mandating these and other safety enhancements."

Massey Energy also introduced and honoured members of the many mine rescue teams from around the industry that responded to the tragic Alma Mine fire on January 19, 2006. In addition to Massey’s East Kentucky team and Southern West Virginia team, Massey was pleased the following teams were present to be recognized: Pinnacle Mining’s — Blue Mine Rescue Team; Consol’s Buchanan Mine Rescue Team; Consol’s Corporate Coordination Team; Consol’s of Kentucky Mine Rescue Team; Excel Kentucky and Excel Illinois Mine Rescue Teams; Peabody’s Federal No. 2 Mine Rescue Team; Pinnacle’s Gray Mine Rescue Team; Burge Spillman’s Mountaineer No. 1 Mine and No. 2 Mine Rescue Teams; Pocahontas Mine Rescue Team; Foundation Coal’s Riverton Mine Rescue Team; Peabody’s Eastern Mining Southern Appalachia Mine Rescue Team; Charlie Justice’s Southern Coalfield Association Mine Rescue Team; Consol Energy’s VP-8 Mine Rescue Team.

 The following teams were not present at the awards banquet, but were also recognized. Arch — Mountaineer Mine Rescue; Cumberland Mine Rescue Team; Emerald Mine Rescue Team; Jewell Smokeless No. 1 and No. 2 Mines Rescue Teams; Lone Mountain Mine Rescue Team; MSHA Mine Emergency Unit; State of WV Mine Emergency Response Team.

"The efforts of these teams were heroic and words cannot express our appreciation for them," Chris Adkins, Senior Vice-President and COO said. "They proved what we all know: the coal industry is an extended family that cares about the safety of every miner."