The company’s Dugout Canyon mine won the Sentinels of Safety award for achieving the nation’s best 2011 safety record among large underground coal mines.

Arch also received the 2012 Conservation Legacy award from the National Museum of Forest Service History in Colorado.

In 2011 Dugout Canyon employees worked 449,797 hours without a single lost-time incident.

The national average is 2.44 incidents per 200,000 employee-hours.

Dugout Canyon has operated since May 2010 without a reportable safety incident.

Earlier this year the mine was named 2011 safe operator of the year among underground coal mines by the Utah State Labor Commission and Office of Coal Mine Safety.

It also received a regional Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute 2012 safety award.

Arch president and chief executive officer John Eaves said the company was, justifiably, proud of the Dugout employees’ safety efforts.

“A total incident rate of zero is an elite accomplishment to say the least,” he said.

In the small company category, Rosebud Mining’s Bergholz 7 mine in Ohio earned top honors for underground coal.

Amfire Mining’s Centre County Strips was the winner in the surface division and the top safe coal processing facility was EME Homer City Generation in Pennsylvania.

The annual Sentinels of Safety can only be earned by the nation’s safest mining operations that logged at least 4000 hours without injury over the prior year.

Officials pointed out to the group that those taking home Sentinels of Safety honors were not the only mines and facilities that achieved injury-free years in 2011.

In fact, National Mining Association president Hal Quinn pointed out that there had been a trend by mines to sustain improvements year over year in mine safety performance.

Sentinels of Safety awards have been given out since 1925 and have since become the most prestigious award to achieve for safety in the industry.

The awards were initiated by then Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover.

Over in Colorado, Arch was recognised for its efforts to restore landscapes, safeguard wildlife and enhance the public lands where it operates.

The Conservation Legacy award recognizes an organization, company or individual that demonstrates an exceptional commitment to advancing the legacy and conservation of US forests and grasslands.