Mines face increasing explosives oversight

Washington (Platts)--25May2005

One of the stories told at Tuesday's Eastern Coal Council session in
Kingsport, Tenn., was about the mine employee who won a shotgun at a company
function, but then his boss was approached by law enforcement officers who
told him the employee would be arrested because he was a felon in possession
of a firearm.

Fortunately, Charles Ellis told the audience, the boss was allowed to arrange
for the hapless employee to be arrested off-site. However, the Austin
Sales/Virginia Drilling executive said, had that employee been handling
explosives, the boss might have well been arrested, too. "When you're dealing
with the federal government, and strict regulations, they don't care," Ellis
said.

For the first time beginning next year, the mining industry will be subject to
regulations of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the
handling and management of explosives, he said. This is all part of the
post-9/11 crackdown to prevent future terrorist acts, Ellis said.

In 2003, the last year for which statistics are available, US explosive
production was 2.29-mil metric tons. The coal mining industry consumed
1.54-mil mt of that, according to the US Geological Survey. Under the stiffer
federal regulations, even dishonorably discharged veterans won't be allowed to
handle explosives, Ellis said. Mine foremen, managers and owners will be held
legally accountable for their employees' complying with those regulations.

Also, states are applying extra scrutiny in explosives used near residential
areas. For example, Ellis cited a new Virginia regulation that requires mine
employees go door-to-door warning nearby residents when blasting is imminent
instead of sounding a warning horn. Among the penalties for a stray boulder
from a mine site can be shutdown of the operation, Ellis said, even when no
harm or damage happened.

This story was originally published in Platts Coal Trader
http://www.coaltrader.platts.com

Copyright © 2005 - Platts

Please visit:  www.platts.com

Their coverage of energy matters is extensive!!.