Independent Review of MSHA's Actions at Crandall Canyon Mine

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MSHA will develop a pool of qualified officials who will be prepared to serve as Liaison in the event of a mine accident resulting in multiple fatalities. The persons selected for this pool will have appropriate technical expertise to effectively respond to technical questions as well as skills in crisis/grief management and communication. Similar to that of an accident investigation team member, this assignment as liaison should be the individual's highest priority responsibility from the beginning of the assignment until the investigation is complete. Upon notification of a possible mine accident where multiple miners are unaccounted for, the appropriate Administrator will promptly assign a qualified agency official to act as Liaison for the purpose of being responsive to the needs of families of mine accident victims by providing clear and accurate information regarding the mine accident. The assigned Liaison will travel to the site as soon as possible and be briefed by the MSHA official in charge of accident activities in order to promptly establish communication with the victims' families. The Liaison will make arrangements to meet with family members for regular briefings and will remain accessible to family members during the emergency. Upon completion of the rescue at the site, the Liaison will remain in contact with families by telephone, cellular phone, email, and conventional mail for the duration of the investigation until the report is delivered. During any resulting accident investigation the Liaison will continue to be responsive to the needs of the families until the investigation is complete and MSHA issues a final report. The Liaison will continue to interact with the accident investigation team for the purpose of responding to questions from and transferring information to victims' family members. Requests for information from the families will be governed by the Freedom of Information Act and will be expedited to the greatest extent possible. Primary Communicator A separate MSHA official (senior MSHA official onsite and/or media specialist) will serve as the primary communicator with the mine operator, miners' representative, media and general public during such mine accidents. The Primary Communicator will collaborate with the Liaison to ensure consistent, timely and accurate information is disseminated to the public and the families. To the greatest extent possible, sensitive information will be shared with the families before being disseminated to the public. Nothing in this policy shall prohibit the mine operator from establishing communication with the families or the public. Background On June 15, 2006 the MINER Act became effective. Section 7 of the MINER Act requires that the Secretary establish a policy that- (1) requires the temporary assignment of an individual Department of Labor official to be a liaison between the Department and the families of victims of mine accidents involving multiple deaths: (2) requires the Mine Safety and Health Administration to be as responsive as possible to requests from the families of mine accident victims for information relating to mine accidents: (3) requires that in such accidents, that the Mine Safety and Health Administration shall serve as the primary communicator to operators, miners' families, the press and the public. Authority The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as amended by the MINER
Act, Pub. L. No. 109-236, June 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 493. Issuing Office and Contact Person Coal Mine Safety and Health, Accident Investigations Program Manager, William Crocco, (202) 693-9507 e-mail: crocco.william@dol.gov Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health, Accident Investigations Program Manager, John K. Radomsky, (202) 693-9614 e-mail: radomsky.john@dol.gov Distribution MSHA Program Policy Manual Holders See Attachments
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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
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Conclusion: MSHA failed to enforce
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Later on August 6 th , a mine rescu
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anybody sit down with the MSHA peop
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EXPLORATIONS During the underground
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since the ribs could not further ex
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DRILLING OF BOREHOLES Boreholes pla
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pump for a period of time, the meas
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After this hole was drilled, MSHA
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The borehole showed there was no vo
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RISK VERSUS VALUE In all rescue and
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stoppings to crosscut 95 would also
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section were equipped with Self-Con
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data, the idea was not pursued any
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for an hour and one-half and then w
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sampling equipment to their truck a
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Agency. The handbook consisted of 9
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updates and briefings on the rescue
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Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., MS
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Stickler contradicting or correctin
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trapped miners should, to the exten
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Conclusion: The MSHA person-in-char
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An attachment to the policy sets fo
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air and water waiting for us to com
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Davis did clarify that there was no
Page 128 and 129: the family and press briefings, and
Page 130 and 131: emergency with role-playing by all
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: EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/22/2006 EXPIRATI
Page 183: APPENDIX G PROGRAM POLICY LETTER NO
Page 186 and 187: 2006. The MINER Act requires that t
Page 188 and 189: The above table is based on the 199
Page 190 and 191: 2. Inflatable shelters or equivalen
Page 193: APPENDIX H PROGRAM INSTRUCTION BULL
Page 196 and 197: I. Quantity of Breathable Air. In d
Page 198 and 199: What is MSHA's authority for this P
Page 201: NORTH BARRIER Last Known Location o
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Independent Review of MSHA's Actions at Crandall Canyon Mine

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