The milestone was passed at the end of October, after more than 500 days without a reportable injury, Cloud Peak Energy president and CEO Colin Marshall said.

“I am proud of the excellent work by everyone at the Spring Creek Mine in achieving this significant milestone,” he said.

“This outstanding achievement took vigilance and dedication by each employee during every shift. Safety is a core value at Cloud Peak Energy and we believe there is no reason for anyone to be harmed mining coal.”

Cloud Peak Energy has a long-standing record of safe, responsible coal production. Last year, the company had one of the lowest All Injury Frequency Rates of the top 25 US coal producers, according to MSHA.

Cloud Peak Energy director of health, safety and training Marc Ostrem said the company encouraged all of its employees and contractors to be actively engaged in safe operations, which includes a clear understanding and belief that all injuries are preventable.

“This drives a proactive approach to prevent incidents by creating a safe environment from the beginning of any task,” he said.

In 2012, Spring Creek Mine produced 17.2 million tonnes of coal, making it Montana’s largest coal mine and the eighth largest coal mine in the country based on 2012 production.

Coal mined from Spring Creek is shipped primarily to electric utilities and industrial customers in the northwest, midwest, northeast and southwest United States, various Canadian provinces and exported by our logistics services business to Asian utility customers via the Westshore terminal in British Columbia, Canada.

Spring Creek Mine general manager Dave Schwend said all those working at the mine understand the importance of safety, and that enabled it to reach the safety important milestone.

“I appreciate the hard work and commitment that all our employees show each and every day. We will continue working to achieve zero injuries,” he said.