Consol Pennsylvania Coal Co. (ALJ decision, February 17, 1995)

Plain-English summary

Consol Pennsylvania Coal Company was cited for coal and float-coal-dust accumulations along a longwall belt entry and for preshift examiners' failure to report hazardous conditions. The judge found the coal-dust conditions and the preshift-examination violation proven, significant and substantial, and caused by unwarrantable failure. The judge also approved a settlement reducing penalties on three related items from $8,241 to $1,870. The order affirmed the listed orders and citations and directed Consol to pay $12,870 within 30 days.

Decision snapshot

• Cited standard(s): 30 C.F.R. §§ 75.400 and 75.360(a)
• Outcome: The listed orders and citations were affirmed, with a total civil penalty of $12,870 including the approved settlement amount.
• Key point: Extensive coal-dust accumulations and unreported hazardous conditions in a belt entry supported S&S and unwarrantable-failure findings.

Full text (FMSHRC public release)

FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

OFFICE OF A D M INISTRA TIV E LA W JUDGES 2 SK YLINE, 10 th FLOOR
5203 LEESBURG PIK E
FA LLS CHURCH, V IRGINIA 22041

February 17, 1995

SECRETARY OF LABOR,
: CIVIL PENALTY PROCEEDING
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH
:
ADMINISTRATION (MSHA),
: Docket No. PENN 94-189
Petitioner
: A.C. No. 36-07230-03742
v. :
: Docket No. PENN 94-383
CONSOL PENNSYLVANIA COAL CO.,
: A.C. No. 36-07230-03752
Respondent
:

DECISION

Appearances: Susan Jordan, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S.
Department of Labor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the Secretary of Labor;
Elizabeth S. Chamberlin, Esq., Consol Plaza, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for Consol Pennsylvania Coal Company.

Before: Judge Melick

These cases are before me upon petitions for civil penalty filed by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to section 105(d) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. ' 80 1, et. seq., the "A ct", cha rg ing Consol Pennsylva nia Coa l Com pa ny ( Consol) w ith five viola tions of m a nda tory sta nda rds a nd seek ing civil pena lties of $19,241 for those viola tions. The g enera l issu e is w h ether Consol viola ted the cited sta nda rds a nd, if so, w h a t is the a ppropria te civil pena lty to be a ssessed. A dditiona l specific issu es a re a ddressed a s noted.

A t hea ring , the pa rties a g reed to a settlem ent of Order No. 3659993 a nd Cita tion Nos.
3659994 a nd 3659995 a nd, a s su pplem ented post hea ring , proposed a redu ction in pena lties from $8,241 to $1,870 . I ha ve considered the representa tions a nd docu m enta tion su bm itted in su pport of the proposed settlem ent a nd conclu de tha t it is a ccepta ble u nder the criteria set forth in section 110 ( i) of the A ct. This settlem ent w ill be incorpora ted in the order a ccom pa nying this decision.

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Order No. 3559982

Order No. 3659982, issu ed pu rsu a nt to section 10 4 ( d)( 1) of the A ct, 1 a lleg es a "sig nifica nt a nd su bsta ntia l" viola tion of the m a nda tory sta nda rd a t 30 C.F.R. ' 75.4 0 0 a nd cha rg es a s follow s:
1
Section 104(d)(1) of the Act provides in part as follows:

If, upon any inspection of a coal or other mine, an authorized representative of the Secretary finds that there has been a violation of any mandatory health or safety standard, and if he also finds that, while the conditions created by such violation do not cause imminent danger, such violation is of such nature as could significantly and substantially contribute to the cause and effect of a coal or other mine safety and health hazard, and if he finds such violation to be caused by an unwarrantable failure of such operator to comply with such mandatory health or safety standards, he shall include such

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The clea nu p prog ra m esta blished a t this m ine w a s not being com plied w ith in the
12 B section long w ell belt entry, for a dista nce of 3,4 4 0 feet, betw een the sta g eloa der a nd tra nsfer point, a nd this entire a rea w a s preshifted on the previou s shift by a certified
person w h o shou ld ha ve observed the
follow ing conditions: 1. Floa t du st ( bla ck in
color, floa t coa l du st u p to 5 inches deep, a nd loose coa l w ere observed a ccu m u la ted on the m ine floor, rig ht side of sta g eloa der a nd ta ilpiece, a nd on the fla t su rfa ce a rea s on the rig ht side over a 4 0 foot long a rea ; 2 . A ccu m u la tions of floa t du st ( bla ck in color) on top of the rock du sted su rfa ces of the m ine floor u nder the entire belt, inclu ding on the rig ht u ntra veled side, on a ll belt stru ctu res, in nu m erou s crosscu ts; 3. Belt a ir
du m p crosscu t, very hea vy
concentra tions on the 3 0 0 foot long a rea on the rig ht
side of the belt stora g e a rea ; 4. a nd floa t coa l du st u p to 2 inches deep on the belt tra nsfer a rea stru ctu re; 5. dry loose coa l u nder nu m erou s a rea s of the entire belt entry

finding in any citation given to the operator under this Act.
If, during the same inspection or any subsequent inspection of
such mine within 90 days after the issuance of such citation, an
authorized representative of the Secretary finds another
violation of any mandatory health or safety standard and finds
such violation to be also caused by an unwarrantable failure of
such operator to so comply, he shall forthwith issue an order
requiring the operator to cause all persons in the area affected
by such violation, except those persons referred to in
subsection(c) to be withdrawn from, and to be prohibited from
entering, such area until an authorized representative of the
Secretary determines that such violation has been abated.

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a nd excessive rib slou g ha g e on the rig ht u ntra veled side w ithin 24 inches of belt a nd a rou nd fou r ( 4) bottom belt rollers a t the belt stora g e u nit.

The a ccu m u la tions ha ve existed for m ore tha n one shift a nd the preshift exa m iners
on a ll three ( 3) shifts did not observe a ny ha za rdou s conditions du ring their exa m ina tions, a s no entries w ere m a de in the preshift book on the m ine su rfa ce. The belt in this a rea w a s very dry except a t the belt spra y a rea .

The belt ca n only be u sed to tra nsport coa l w h ich is being clea ned u p, a nd sha ll not be u sed u ntil the loose coa l a rou nd the fou r ( 4) bottom belt rollers is clea ned u p, a nd then only to tra nsport the coa l clea ned u p. D u ring the
previou s qu a rter "6"
cita tions for 75.4 0 0 w ere issu ed a t this m ine.

The cited sta nda rd requ ires tha t "coa l du st, inclu ding floa t coa l du st deposited on rock - du sted su rfa ces, loose coa l, a nd other com bu stible m a teria ls, sha ll be clea ned u p a nd not be perm itted to a ccu m u la te in a ctive w ork ing s, or on electrica l equ ipm ent therein."

Inspector Joseph Reed of the M ine Sa fety a nd Hea lth A dm inistra tion ( M SHA ) testified tha t a rou nd 7:4 0 a .m . on
October 2 0 , 1993, before condu cting a reg u la r u nderg rou nd inspection of Consol' s Ba iley M ine, he review ed the 12 B Section preshift report for the exa m ina tion condu cted betw een 5:2 0 a nd 7:2 0 tha t m orning . The report, ba sed u pon the preshift exa m ina tion of Section Forem a n Todd Shu m a k er, indica ted tha t no "viola tions, da ng ers or ha za rdou s conditions" were observed ( G overnm ent Exhibit No. 6).

Reed therea fter continu ed his inspection u nderg rou nd a ccom pa nied by Consol Sa fety Inspector, Lou Sleeva . A pproa ching the 12 B section loa ding point, Reed w a s told by m idnig ht shift section forem a n, Todd Shu m a k er, tha t no coa l ha d been m ined on the previou s ( m idnig ht) shift. A t the 12 B belt entry u nder the sta g e loa der a nd on the rig ht ( u ntra velled) side of the entry Reed fou nd loose coa l, floa t coa l du st a nd coa l du st a ccu m u la tions. A ccording to Reed, the a ccu m u la tions u nder the sta g e loa der w ere 4 0 feet long , u p to 5 feet w ide a nd 6 to 8 inches deep a nd w ere a lso dry to the tou ch.

Reed left the sta g e loa der a nd w a lk ed the belt entry tow a rd the belt drive a nd tra nsfer point to ta k e a n a ir rea ding a nd m etha ne m ea su rem ent. He w a lk ed dow n the belt entry a bou t 75 to 10 0 feet w h ere he took the a ir rea ding s. A ccording to Reid, a short dista nce beyond this point, he observed tha t the tra velw a y ha d less tha n 24 inches of clea ra nce. A fire hose ou tlet w a s projecting w a ist hig h into the 33 inch w ide tra velw a y a bou t 18 inches m a k ing it necessa ry to tu rn sidew a ys to g et a rou nd it. The fire hose ou tlet w a s a pipe perpendicu la r to the belt a nd extending from the m a in sprink ler pipe. Norm a lly these ou tlets a re in a vertica l position a im ed dow n tow a rd the floor.

A ccording to Reed, betw een the sta g e loa der a nd this fire hose ou tlet, there w a s a dditiona l floa t du st, bla ck in color, a long the belt stru ctu re a nd benea th the belt. Reed

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m a inta ins tha t he then observed extra neou s m a teria l in severa l loca tions in the tra velw a y a long the belt. There w ere disca rded su pplies, inclu ding pipes, pieces of belt stru ctu re a nd roof m a teria ls lying in the tra velw a y. Reed ha d to step over the m a teria ls a s he w a lk ed a long the belt. A ccording to Reed, there w ere a dditiona l a ccu m u la tions of floa t du st on the m ine floor a nd on the belt stru ctu re a s he proceeded dow n the belt entry. He m a inta ins tha t he a lso observed coa l du st a ccu m u la tions on the floor in severa l crosscu ts.

A t the drive a rea , he pu rportedly fou nd hea vy floa t du st a ccu m u la tions, da rk bla ck in color, on the m ine floor a nd on the rig ht side of the belt stru ctu re. A ccording to Reed, there w a s no rock du st on the floa t du st a nd the floa t du st covered the entire drive a rea . Reed a lso observed tha t a g u a rd w a s m issing a t the belt drive on the rig ht side. The g u a rd ha d pu rportedly been rem oved to perform m a intena nce a nd w a s propped a g a inst the rib. M oving pa rts w ere thereby exposed on the rig ht side of the belt drive.

Inspector Reed w a lk ed the entire 3,4 0 0 foot leng th of the belt to the tra nsfer point w h ere the 12 B belt du m ped onto the m a in belt. A t the belt tra nsfer, he observed a dditiona l a ccu m u la tions of floa t coa l du st. They w ere tw o inches deep a nd covered the top su rfa ces of the belt stru ctu re. Reed testified tha t on his retu rn he observed severa l a rea s w h ere coa l from the rig ht rib ha d slou g hed a nd fa llen into the tig ht side a long the belt. In severa l loca tions this slou g ha g e w a s severa l feet deep a nd ha d fa llen into the w a lk w a y on the left side of the belt redu cing the clea ra nce to less tha n 24 inches.

I find the disinterested testim ony of Reed to be credible a nd, therefore, conclu de tha t, indeed, on October 2 0 , 1993, there w ere a ccu m u la tions of coa l a nd floa t coa l du st a s a lleg ed, tha t these a ccu m u la tions w ere com bu stible a nd tha t the viola tion is proven a s cha rg ed. M oreover, in essentia l respects, tha t testim ony is corrobora ted by tha t of M ine Forem a n K ostelnick . K ostelnick a ck now ledg ed, for exa m ple, tha t Reed show ed him som e floa t coa l du st on the tig ht side of the sta g e loa der bu t cla im ed only tha t it "w a sn' t a n excessive a m ou nt". He fu rther a ck now ledg ed the a ccu m u la tions cited by Reed in a nd a rou nd the sta g eloa der a rea w h ich he cha ra cterized a s "a problem or if you w a nt to ca ll it, [bu t] it' s ju st a pa rt of m ining w ith a long w a ll m ine". K ostelnick a lso recog nized "dripping s" u nder the beltline a s inclu ding coa l bu t m a inta ined this w a s not ha za rdou s beca u se it w a s da m p a nd not yet in conta ct w ith a ny belt rollers. In a ddition, he a dm itted there w a s rib slou g ha g e a long the belt inclu ding coa l a nd, a pproa ching the stora g e u nit, there w a s som e floa t du st 24 inches w ide a nd 180 feet long w hich w a s "m ore tha n I w a s ha ppy to see a t tha t a rea ."

Reed a lso conclu ded tha t the viola tion w a s "sig nifica nt a nd su bsta ntia l". A viola tion is properly desig na ted a s "sig nifica nt a nd su bsta ntia l" if, ba sed on the pa rticu la r fa cts su rrou nding tha t viola tion, there exists a rea sona ble lik elihood tha t the ha za rd contribu ted to w ill resu lt in a n inju ry or illness of a rea sona bly seriou s na tu re. Cem ent Division, na tiona l Gypsu m Co., 3 FM SHRC 822, 82 5 ( 1981). In M a thies Coa l Co., 6 FM SHRC 1,3- 4 ( 1984), the Com m ission expla ined:

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In order to esta blish tha t a viola tion of a m a nda tory sta nda rd is sig nifica nt
a nd su bsta ntia l u nder Na tiona l Gypsu m the Secreta ry m u st prove: ( 1) the u nderlying viola tion of a m a n inju ry, a nd ( 4) a rea sona ble lik elihood tha t the inju ry in qu estion w ill be of a rea sona bly seriou s na tu re.

See a lso A u stin Pow er Co. v. Secreta ry, 861 F.2d 99, 103- 0 4 ( 5th Cir.
1988), a ff' g 9 FM SHRC 2015, 2 0 2 1 ( 1987) ( a pproving M a thies criteria ).

The third elem ent of the M a thies form u la requ ires tha t the Secreta ry esta blish a rea sona ble lik elihood tha t the ha za rd contribu ted to w ill resu lt in a n event in w h ich there is a n inju ry, U .S. Steel M ining Co., 6 FM SHRC 1834, 1836 ( 1984), a nd a lso tha t the lik elihood of inju ry be eva lu a ted in term s of continu ed norm a l m ining opera tions. U.S. Steel M ining Co., Inc., 6 FM SHRC 1473, 1574 ( 1984); see a lso Ha lfw a y, Inc., 8 FM SHRC 8, 12 ( 1986) a nd Sou thern Oil Coa l Co., 13 FM SHRC 912 , 916- 17 ( 1991).

The Secreta ry m a inta ins tha t the sa fety ha za rd contribu ted to in this ca se w a s a m ine fire or explosion a nd tha t loose coa l in a n a ctive w ork ing w here possible ig nition sou rces exist presents a "m ea su re of da ng er" to the sa fety of m iners. The Secreta ry fu rther a rg u es there w a s a rea sona ble lik elihood tha t fire or sm ok e w ou ld resu lt from the a ccu m u la tions ha d the conditions been left to exist, noting tha t the a ccu m u la tions w ere extensive a nd a ffected the entire belt. He notes tha t a lthou g h the belt w a s not then in opera tion, the section w a s schedu led to produ ce tha t da y a nd the crew w a s on the section.

Fina lly, the Secreta ry points to severa l potentia l ig nition sou rces a nd rela ted concerns.
The Ba iley M ine is a g a seou s m ine produ cing over one m illion cu bic feet of m etha ne per 24 hou rs. M SHA records show tha t for 1993 the a vera g e da ily m etha ne libera tion w a s 3.9 to 4.7 m illion cu bic feet of m etha ne per 24 hou r period. The belt itself a lso presented ig nition sou rces. Fou r rollers u nder the belt drive a ppea red to ha ve been tu rning in coa l. A ccording to the credible testim ony of Inspector Reed, there w a s a n "indenta tion w h ere the coa l w a s piled a rou nd the rollers a nd the rollers ha d been ru nning in it". Reed fu rther noted the belt w a s ru bbing on the m eta l su pport leg s a nd this w a s a lso a n ig nition sou rce. I a g ree w ith the Secreta ry on this issu e. The credible evidence, indeed, su pports the sig nifica nt a nd su bsta ntia l finding s.

The Secreta ry fu rther a rg u es tha t the viola tion w a s the resu lt of u nw a rra nta ble fa ilu re a nd hig h neg lig ence on the ba sis tha t the viola tive conditions w ere "extensive a nd obviou s". A ccording to the Secreta ry the conditions ha d existed for m ore tha n one shift, no effort ha d been m a de to clea n u p the conditions a nd the Respondent ha d been previou sly cited for sim ila r viola tions. U nw a rra nta ble fa ilu re is condu ct tha t is "not ju stifia ble" or is "inexcu sa ble." It is a g g ra va ted condu ct by a m ine opera tor constitu ting m ore tha n ordina ry neg lig ence. See, Em ery M ining Corp., 9 FM SHRC 1997, 2 2 0 3 - 2 2 0 4 ( 1987); Rochester & Pittsbu rg h Coa l Co. 13 FM SHRC 189, 193- 194 ( 1991).

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In su pport of his position, the Secreta ry a rg u es tha t the viola tive conditions w ere extensive a nd obviou s, involving nea rly the entire leng th of the 3,4 0 0 foot belt a nd w ith m ost of the a ccu m u la tions visible from the tra velw a y. The Secreta ry fu rther a rg u es tha t the conditions ha d existed for a t lea st one a nd one- ha lf shifts. He notes tha t this belt entry w a s requ ired to be exa m ined du ring preshift a nd on- shift exa m ina tions by a certified m ine exa m iner, tha t the preshift exa m ina tion book show ed tha t no coa l ha d been ru n du ring the previou s shift ( the m idnig ht shift on October 2 0 th), tha t coa l ha d la st been ru n du ring the a fternoon shift of October 19th, a nd tha t, a ccording ly, the a ccu m u la tions ha d "existed for a t lea st one a nd a ha lf or m ore shifts". The Secreta ry m a inta ins tha t the viola tive conditions shou ld ha ve been observed du ring a ny one of the exa m ina tions of the a rea .

A s a nother independent ba sis for u nw a rra nta bility, the Secreta ry m a inta ins tha t a ccu m u la tions of com bu stible m a teria ls w ere a continu ing problem on belt lines a t this m ine. He notes tha t Inspector Reed ha d persona lly issu ed severa l cita tions for viola tions of 30 C.F.R. ' 75.4 0 0 on belt lines a t this m ine - - tw o in this sa m e long w a ll belt entry w ithin the la st 8 m onths a nd one on a nother beltline in October 1993. In this reg a rd, the Secreta ry fu rther notes tha t the Ba iley M ine w a s cited 42 tim es for viola tions of this sta nda rd in the tw o yea r period preceding the issu a nce of the su bject order a nd m a inta ins tha t su ch a sig nifica nt history of problem s w ith a ccu m u la tions pla ces a n opera tor on notice tha t g rea ter clea n- u p efforts a re necessa ry, citing M id- Continent Resou rces, 16 FM SHRC 126 ( 1994).

Consol su g g ests in a n u na u thorized "su pplem enta l" brief, bu t w ithou t fa ctu a l record su pport, tha t these 42 cita tions for a ccu m u la tions m a y ha ve been for su ch thing s a s "tra sh in a dinner hole" a nd tha t it w a s "inherently u nfa ir" for the Secreta ry to rely on su ch evidence beca u se it w a s provided only tw o da ys before hea ring . Consol overlook s tha t it not only fa iled to object a t hea ring to the a dm issibility of this evidence bu t tha t it stipu la ted to its a dm issibility. It is a lso rea sona ble to infer tha t Consol w a s a w a re of the 42 cita tions it ha d received. M oreover, if they w ere for viola tions of "tra sh in a dinner hole", su ch evidence m u st be presented a t hea ring on the record a nd not by off- the- record su g g estion in a n u na u thorized post- hea ring "su pplem enta l" brief. In a ny event, reg a rdless of the specific na tu re of the 42 prior viola tions of the sta nda rd a t issu e this evidence show s a seriou s problem of disreg a rd for clea nu p of com bu stible a ccu m u la tions. The Secreta ry notes, fina lly, tha t Inspector Reed did not see a nyone w ork ing or prepa ring to w ork a long the belt in a ny clea n- u p efforts a nd, a fter the conditions w ere cited, Respondent u sed the rem a inder of the shift a nd pa rt of the next to clea n u p the cited a ccu m u la tions, u sing a tota l of 19 m iners.

I a g ree w ith the Secreta ry tha t this viola tion resu lted from a g g ra va ted condu ct a nd om issions constitu ting m ore tha n ordina ry neg lig ence a nd, a ccording ly w a s the resu lt of "u nw a rra nta ble fa ilu re". This conclu sion is clea rly su pported by the credible a nd disinterested testim ony of Inspector Reed corrobora ted, in pa rt, by the testim ony of M ine Forem a n K ostelnick . I ca n g ive bu t little w eig ht to the self- serving testim ony of a "g ood fa ith belief" tha t viola tions of the cited sta nda rd did not exist a s cha rg ed.

Cita tion No. 3659981

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Cita tion No. 3659981 a lleg es a "sig nifica nt a nd su bsta ntia l" viola tion of the sta nda rd a t 30 C.F.R. ' 75,360( a ) a nd cha rg es a s follow s:

A n im proper preshift exa m ina tion w a s being m a de in 12 B
long w ell
section belt entry, from the sta g eloa der to the tra nsfer point, by a certified person on a ll ( 3) shifts, a s the follow ing conditions w h ich constitu te seriou s ha za rds a long the 3,4 4 0 foot long a rea w ere not recog nized by su ch persons: 1.) Floa t du st ( bla ck in color), on top of the rock du sted su rfa ces of the m ine floor u nder the belt, on belt stru ctu res, ta ilpiece a rea , on u ntra velled rig ht side, hea vy a ccu m u la tions nea r stora g e a rea for 3 0 0 feet on rig ht side, loose c
belt du e to either
firehose ou tlets, old belt rollers, belt a nd roof or rib
m a teria l, or excessive coa l rib slou g ha g e obstru cting the w a lk w a y; a nd 3.) Ina dequ a te g u a rding a t the belt stora g e roller a rea du e to g u a rds previou sly insta lled being dow n a nd not re- insta lled to prevent persons from a ccidenta lly
conta cting m oving la rg e roller.

D u e to this cita tion covering a ll three shifts, ( 24 hou rs) w ill be g iven so tha t the preshift exa m iners on
a ll three shifts
ca n be m a de a w a re of the requ irem ents of 75.360.

No coa l w a s m ined on the previou s shift a nd these conditions ha ve a ppa rently existed for severa l shifts, a nd the preshift book on the m ine su rfa ce did not indica te a ny ha za rds w ere observed by the exa m iners.

D u ring the previou s qu a rter, "1" cita tion for 75.360 w a s issu ed a t this m ine.

The cited sta nda rd provides in essentia l pa rt tha t "[w ]ithin 3 hou rs preceding the beg inning of a ny shift a nd before a nyone on the oncom ing shift, other tha n certified persons condu cting exa m ina tions requ ired by this su bpa rt, enters a ny u nderg rou nd a rea of the m ine, a certified person desig na ted by the opera tor sha ll m a k e a preshift exa m ina tion."

The Secreta ry a rg u es tha t severa l ha za rdou s conditions existed on the m orning of October 2 0 th tha t ha d not been reported in the exa m ina tion record book s, na m ely the conditions cited by Inspector Reid in Order No. 3659982, Cita tion No.. 3659983 a nd Cita tion No. 3659984. ( G overnm ent Exhibits 2 , 3 a nd 4, respectively). A s cha rg ed therein, there w ere ha za rdou s a ccu m u la tions of coa l, coa l du st a nd floa t du st, there w a s less tha n the requ ired 24 inches of clea ra nce in the tra velw a y a long the belt du e to the protru ding sprink ler pipe a nd extra neou s roof m a teria ls a nd rib slou g ha g e, a nd there w a s a m issing g u a rd for the drive roller a t the belt drive. A s fou nd previou sly in this decision, the coa l a nd coa l du st a ccu m u la tions cited in Order No.3659982 existed a s cha rg ed a nd, ba sed on the credible testim ony of Inspector Reed, w ere of a n obviou s na tu re.

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The la tter tw o conditions cited herein w ere the su bject of cita tions tha t ha ve becom e fina l a nd their existence is not therefore su bject to dispu te ( nor the rela ted "sig nifica nt a nd su bsta ntia l" finding s). I a g a in a ccept the disinterested credible testim ony of Inspector Reed tha t these conditions w ere a lso obviou s. I a g ree w ith Consol, how ever, tha t the Secreta ry ha s not su sta ined her bu rden of proving tha t the g u a rd for the drive roller ha d been rem oved prior to the requ ired pre- shift exa m ina tion. It m a y rea sona bly be inferred tha t the other cited conditions existed du ring the tim e of the pre- shift exa m ina tion a nd a ccording ly shou ld ha ve been detected a nd reported in the preshift exa m ina tion of the belt entry.

It is u ndispu ted tha t the entry is requ ired to be exa m ined du ring preshift a nd onshift exa m ina tions by a certified m ine exa m iner. It is fu rther u ndispu ted tha t the preshift exa m ina tion book show ed entries for preshift exa m ina tions for the m idnig ht shift on October 2 0 th a nd the a fternoon shift on October 19th w h en check ed by the M SHA inspector a nd tha t no ha za rds w ere reported on either exa m ina tion. The viola tion is a ccording ly proven a s cha rg ed. A g a in, M ine Forem a n K ostelnick corrobora tes Inspector Reed in essentia l respects. In a ddition to his a dm issions reg a rding the presence of a ccu m u la tions, K ostelnick a ck now ledg ed tha t the 24 inch clea ra nce w a s not m a inta ined a long the belt in tha t rib slou g ha g e ha d, indeed, restricted pa ssa g e a t fou r or five loca tions, a fire hydra nt obstru cted the w a lk w a y a nd severa l belt rollers w ere in the w a lk w a y.

I fu rther find tha t the viola tion w a s "sig nifica nt a nd su bsta ntia l". A viola tion of 30 C.F.R. ' 75.360( a ) ha s been esta blished w ith a nu m ber of rela ted sa fety ha za rds. The sa fety ha za rd rela ted to the coa l a ccu m u la tions is tha t of m ine fires a nd explosions previou sly discu ssed in this decision a nd the lik elihood of a fire a nd inju ry w a s rea sona ble. The ha za rd a ssocia ted w ith the ina dequ a te clea ra nce w ou ld be tripping . The record show s tha t persons do tra vel a long this belt entry perform ing m a intena nce a nd clea n- u p w ork a nd condu cting exa m ina tions. I find tha t persons tra veling a long the belt therefore rea sona bly lik ely to slip or trip over the cited m a teria ls a nd w ou ld ha ve fa llen in close proxim ity to a m oving belt. They cou ld tw ist or spra in a n a nk le or com e into conta ct w ith m oving pa rts of the belt. These events, I conclu de, w ere rea sona bly lik ely to resu lt in a n inju ry of a rea sona bly seriou s na tu re.

The viola tion w a s a lso the resu lt of "u nw a rra nta ble fa ilu re". A g a in, the credible testim ony of Reed show s tha t these conditions w ere obviou s a nd ha d existed a t lea st since the a fternoon shift of October 19th w ithou t corrective a ction. The fa ilu re to ha ve reported a ny of these viola tive conditions, therefore, constitu tes a g g ra va ted neg lig ence.

U nder a ll the circu m sta nces a nd considering the criteria u nder Section 110 ( i) of the A ct, I find tha t the proposed civil pena lties of $7,50 0 for Order No. 3659982 a nd $3,50 0 for Cita tion No. 3659981 a re a ppropria te.

ORD ER

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Order Nos. 3659982 a nd 3659993 a nd Cita tion Nos. 3659981, 3659994 a nd 3659995 a re a ffirm ed. Consol Pennsylva nia Coa l Com pa ny is hereby directed to pa y civil pena lties of $12 ,870 for the viola tions therein w ithin 3 0 d a ys of this decision.

G a ry M elick
A dm inistra tive La w Ju dg e

D istribu tion:

Su sa n Jorda n, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. D epa rtm ent of La bor, 14480 Ga tew a y Bu ilding , 3535 M a rk et Street, Phila delphia , PA 1910 4

Eliza beth S. Cha m berlin, Esq., Consol, Inc., Consol Pla za , 180 0 W a shing ton Roa d, Pittsbu rg h, PA 15241- 1421

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