Independent Review of MSHA's Actions at Crandall Canyon Mine

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emergency with role-playing by all participants. The exercise simulated, as closely as possible, the activities, interactions, and pressures encountered in a real emergency. MERD training was given the highest ratings by MSHA’s managers, and spin off training was extended to labor groups, mining companies and other government agencies. Unfortunately, MSHA elected to discontinue this training for managers in 1990, according to training records maintained at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy. Since that time, there has been a turnover of most of the MSHA managers. Kevin Stricklin, Administrator for Coal, stated that since 2006, eight of the 11 Coal Mine Safety and Health District Managers are new to that position. Neither the District 9 Manager nor the Assistant District 9 Manager for Inspection Programs had received the MSHA MERD training. Both assumed their current positions after the MERD training was discontinued. Any and all knowledge and expertise these two managers have in dealing with mine emergency rescue operations was acquired through first hand experience. The three roof control specialists from MSHA’s Technical Support Roof Control Division who performed duties during the rescue operation at the Crandall Canyon Mine have not received MERD training and had never been involved in any type of mine emergency. Most of the current District Managers, Assistant District Managers, and management personnel in Headquarters have never participated in an MSHA MERD Training exercise. Several MSHA management personnel involved with the rescue effort at Crandall Canyon Mine were of the opinion that many of the established procedures for conducting mine rescue operations were only applicable while explorations were ongoing. Due to the misconception of what a mine rescue operation entails, many of the standard procedures that should have been followed were not adhered to during the rescue operation. For example, there was no formal process established for briefing rescue workers before they entered the Mine or debriefing them after they exited the Mine. The term “mine rescue/recovery operation” is used to describe the actions taken at a mine to rescue or recover trapped or missing miners. Whether miners are trapped or are missing as a result of a fire, explosion, inundation of water, roof falls, bounces, or other reasons, the procedures for conducting a mine rescue/recovery operation are applicable. Historically, ground control failures have not been identified as mine emergencies in many of MSHA’s policies and procedures. Conclusion: MSHA failed to provide appropriate MERD training to prepare its managers for directing a mine emergency. Most MSHA policies and procedures addressing mine emergencies do not include ground failures. Normally, these policies and procedures only address mine fires, explosions, and inundations. Recommendation: MSHA should develop a program to train personnel in charge of rescue and recovery operations, which includes the MERD training program. The MERD training should be provided annually, not only for top managers, but also supervisors, inspectors, 122
appropriate personnel from Technical Support, and all other personnel who may be involved in a mine emergency operation. MSHA should revise its policies and procedures to recognize that ground control failures, and any other events in which miners are trapped or missing, constitute mine emergencies that should be responded to in the same manner as fires, explosions, and inundations. 123
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Independent Review of MSHA’s Acti
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Protective Ground Support Used Duri
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Location of March Bounce Last Known
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Federal Mine
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• Persons who could have contribu
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There was no lack of hard work and
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BLM INSPECTIONS OF CRANDALL CANYON
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oxygen and dust into the fresh air
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MSHA’S ACTIONS PRIOR TO AUGUST 6,
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that the proposed retreat sequence
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On February 23, 2007, District 9 re
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technical guidance from someone exp
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District management’s oversight w
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elieved that a higher stability fac
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questions were asked in an attempt
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offset between crosscuts 139 and 14
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To determine the validity of the in
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disapproval to the District Manager
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amendments for the South Barrier re
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The following table contains certai
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The Price Field Office did not inve
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The inspector stated that this even
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conducted every seven days. However
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Recommendation: MSHA should establi
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DIRECTION AND ACTIVITIES DURING THE
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111-8, which was in effect at the t
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MSHA Person-In-Charge of Mine Rescu
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Davis stated that when Stickler and
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There was also no verification that
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employee stated, “Everybody got f
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Underground Phone Communication Sys
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PROTECTIVE GROUND SUPPORT USED DURI
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equipment to tram in and out of the
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Top of Rockprop Bottom of Rockprop
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Canyon the inby end of the ropes wa
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educed to writing and served to the
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planned to film the underground res
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Stickler stated that family members
Page 80 and 81: Conclusion: MSHA failed to enforce
Page 82 and 83: Later on August 6 th , a mine rescu
Page 84 and 85: anybody sit down with the MSHA peop
Page 86 and 87: EXPLORATIONS During the underground
Page 88 and 89: since the ribs could not further ex
Page 90 and 91: DRILLING OF BOREHOLES Boreholes pla
Page 92 and 93: pump for a period of time, the meas
Page 94 and 95: After this hole was drilled, MSHA
Page 96 and 97: The borehole showed there was no vo
Page 98 and 99: RISK VERSUS VALUE In all rescue and
Page 100 and 101: stoppings to crosscut 95 would also
Page 102 and 103: section were equipped with Self-Con
Page 104 and 105: data, the idea was not pursued any
Page 106 and 107: for an hour and one-half and then w
Page 108 and 109: sampling equipment to their truck a
Page 110 and 111: Agency. The handbook consisted of 9
Page 112 and 113: updates and briefings on the rescue
Page 114 and 115: Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., MS
Page 116 and 117: Stickler contradicting or correctin
Page 118 and 119: trapped miners should, to the exten
Page 120 and 121: Conclusion: The MSHA person-in-char
Page 122 and 123: An attachment to the policy sets fo
Page 124 and 125: air and water waiting for us to com
Page 126 and 127: Davis did clarify that there was no
Page 128 and 129: the family and press briefings, and
Page 132 and 133: MINER ACT AND MINE EMERGENCY EVACUA
Page 134 and 135: Post-Accident Communications The MI
Page 136 and 137: Recommendation: The Agency should d
Page 138 and 139: At the time of the accident, the ER
Page 140 and 141: locations, and along normal travel
Page 142 and 143: CMS&H STAFFING AND RESOURCE UTILIZA
Page 144 and 145: CMS&H STAFFING LEVELS District staf
Page 146 and 147: In addition to the decreased levels
Page 148 and 149: completion rate decreased dramatica
Page 150 and 151: Other specialists had limited inspe
Page 152 and 153: ALLEGATIONS OF INFLUENCE BY THE MIN
Page 154 and 155: GENERAL CONCLUSION Internal Reviews
Page 157: APPENDIX A LIST OF PERSONS INTERVIE
Page 160 and 161: Moore, III, Clarence W. ...........
Page 163: List of Ground Control Panel Member
Page 167: Event Number Activity Code Genwal R
Page 171 and 172: Borehole #3 Location: #4 Entry, X-c
Page 174 and 175: Oxygen Content of Air: Sign and Sym
Page 177 and 178: EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/22/2006 EXPIRATI
Page 179 and 180: Act, Pub. L. No. 109-236, June 15,
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APPENDIX G PROGRAM POLICY LETTER NO
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2006. The MINER Act requires that t
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The above table is based on the 199
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2. Inflatable shelters or equivalen
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APPENDIX H PROGRAM INSTRUCTION BULL
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I. Quantity of Breathable Air. In d
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What is MSHA's authority for this P
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NORTH BARRIER Last Known Location o
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Independent Review of MSHA's Actions at Crandall Canyon Mine

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