Independent Review of MSHA's Actions at Crandall Canyon Mine

Recommendation: MSHA should respond to any mine emergency with the most
knowledgeable personnel available. Contacts to Technical Support should be timely and
accurate to allow for their quick response.
MSHA should ensure that backup district managers are notified to respond to all future mine
emergencies.
MSHA should revise all mine emergency response procedures, both in Headquarters and the
district offices, relating to responding to mine emergencies to include any accident where
rescue and recovery operations are necessary, not just fires, explosions, or inundations.
Central Command Center
COMMAND CENTER
Mine rescue protocol dictates the establishment of a central command center that is manned by
all appropriate parties. MSHA Instruction Guide Series (IG) 7, A Guide to Mine Rescue Training –
Coal, published in 2006, states in part, “Located at the hub of the mine rescue operation is the
command center, where persons in charge gather to plan and direct the rescue and recovery
operation.” It further states, “The command center will have communication equipment…”
for maintaining contact with the underground rescue workers.
At Crandall Canyon, in contradiction to mine rescue protocol, two separate command centers
were established, one for the company, and one for MSHA. The company and MSHA held
meetings to discuss rescue plans, but most of the time, the two entities were separated.
Underground rescue operations lasted over 10 days at Crandall Canyon, which is much longer
than most rescue operations. MSHA management stated that both parties believed there was
no reason to have a single command center since progress was so slow. Allyn Davis, District 9
Manager, stated, “We would get together when there was exploration. We'd get together
upstairs in their facility when we had any kind of exploration activities going on, but we didn't
keep the command center when we were just in the routine mining business and loading out
material.” With the conditions of and activity in the rescue area underground, a single
command center should have been maintained at all times with persons who were focused on
the rescue operations to properly evaluate events as they unfolded.
Conclusion: A central command center was not established as per mine rescue protocol.
Recommendation: MSHA should develop a program to train persons-in-charge of rescue and
recovery operations. This training should instruct participants in the organization and use of a
single command center during mine rescue and recovery operations.
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