Enforcement personnel traveled to the mine and took action to ensure no advance notice was given.

They issued 15 citations and three unwarrantable failure orders, the latter for an inadequate pre-shift examination, failure to water down roadways to prevent dust, and too-wide entries on the mechanized mining unit.

These violations exposed miners to serious hazards associated with roof falls, equipment accidents and respirable coal dust. As a result, inspectors issued closure orders affecting 3,400 feet of roadways to the unit and its working section.

Among the hazards associated with the citations were mine fires, electrical shock, inadequate ventilation, explosive environments and black lung.

Inspectors determined that airlock doors were not being closed and stoppings in certain areas were not maintained properly, in violation of the mine’s approved ventilation plans. These conditions affected the overall ventilation supplied to miners working at the face.

Consequently, the mine was shut down for two days for the operator to correct all the violations.

MSHA said federal inspectors issued 90 citations and three orders during special impact inspections at 10 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in April 2016.