Fola Coal Mine No. 1 won the Barton B. Lay Milestones of Safety Award and
Consol’s Robinson Run No. 95 won the Eustace Frederick Award.
Mine safety is a central focus of West Virginia’s coal industry. At Thursday’s session of the 39th Annual West Virginia Mining Symposium in Charleston, 32 mining and service companies were recognized for their commitment to workplace safety in 2011.
Topping the list of award winners were Fola Coal Company’s Surface Mine No. 1 in Clay County, that took home the Barton B. Lay Milestones of Safety Award and Consol’s Robinson Run No. 95 in Marion County that took home the Eustace Frederick Award for the outstanding undergroun operation.
“These companies have shown an exemplary commitment to the safety of their employees,” said Chris Hamilton, senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association. “They have set a standard with their focus on reducing workplace injuries and getting everyone home at the end of their shifts. We applaud their hard work and dedication to this, our most important responsibility.”
The Mountaineer Guardian Awards are presented each year to mining companies that have demonstrated a commitment to safety standards. Inspectors for the West Virginia Office of Mine Health Safety and Training nominate companies based on numerous criteria.