Independent Review of MSHA's Actions at Crandall Canyon Mine

RISK VERSUS VALUE
In all rescue and recovery operations, the primary concern must be the safety of the rescuer
workers. The persons-in-charge responsible for activities in the command center must
constantly compare the risk to those working underground to the value of the work being
performed. This concept is the basis for all mine emergency activities. Training in mine
rescue, Mine Emergency Response Development (MERD) exercises, and written guidance in
directing mine emergencies emphasize the importance of the safety of rescuers.
The following is an excerpt from MSHA’s Headquarters Mine Emergency Response Procedures
Handbook.
“Mine accidents resulting in trapped or missing miners, or several fatalities, impose important
responsibilities upon MSHA personnel both at headquarters and in the field. In such cases,
the Agency's primary responsibilities include the following:
1. protecting the safety of persons conducting rescue and recovery operations;
2. aiding the recovery of trapped or missing miners;
3. conducting a thorough, objective investigation into the cause of the accident; and
4. taking appropriate enforcement actions.”
MSHA management in the command center must constantly be aware of the circumstances of
the operation and the risks that are being incurred by the rescuers. To do this, a fundamental
rule of the decision-making process must be one of evaluating “Risk vs. Value”. The purpose
of this section is to discuss the concept of that rule and to determine if MSHA’s management
conducted such an evaluation.
At every emergency operation, the evaluation of the risk to underground workers must
always be at the forefront of the decision making process. Regardless of the type of mine
emergency, such as fires, explosions, inundations, roof falls, bounces, or any other event at a
mine, there is always a risk to the workers who are being sent underground to mitigate the
situation. With all underground rescue activities, consideration must be given to the amount
of risk that would be acceptable based on the value of what the assignment will achieve. More
risk can be assumed when the value of what can be obtained is higher. For example, if missing
miners are known to be alive, persons-in-charge would be willing to assume a higher risk to
facilitate their rescue. If the status of missing miners is unknown, the level of risk should be
somewhat lower. If persons-in-charge are convinced that the missing miners did not survive,
the level of risk should be very low.
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