Chao Honors Mining's Sentinels of Safety

Nov. 7, 2001
The Secretary of Labor Honors the Safest Mines in the United States.

Mining is not generally thought to be one of the safer occupations in the United States, yet there are many mines that operate with no lost-time injuries, sometimes for years. Despite the fact that mining is dangerous, these employers and employees, through the use of engineering controls, training and vigilance and personal protective equipment, maintain safety records that would make any company in any industry proud.

A group of these mines have been honored by the Department of Labor with the highest safety award given to the mining industry -- the Sentinels of Safety.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao presented the 75th annual Sentinels of Safety awards during a luncheon yesterday in Washington, D.C.

"These Sentinels of Safety awards recognize outstanding commitment to the safety and well-being of workers," said Chao. "We are continuing to look for new ways to encourage and recognize employers who go the extra mile to protect their employees."

Considered the most prestigious award in the mining industry, the Sentinels of Safety award is given to mining operations that achieve the greatest number of employee work-hours each year without an injury that results in lost workdays.

The Sentinels of Safety competition was created in 1925 at a time when thousands of miners were injured or killed in job-related accidents each year. The award has continued uninterrupted to this day.

Safety winners this year include: Deep Mine #21, Paramount Coal Corp., Dante, Va.; Antelope Coal Mine, Antelope Coal Co., Gillette, Wyo.; SSX Mine, Anglo Gold (Jerritt Canyon) Corp., Elko, Nev.; Cote Blanche Mine, IMC Salt Inc., Franklin, La.; Rochester Mine, Coeur Rocheste Inc., Lovelock, Nev.; Thornton Quarry, Material Service Corp., Thornton, Ill.; Arena Plant, Hanson Aggregates South Central, Altair, Tex.; and Briggs Plant, Fordyce Co., Victoria, Tex.

by Sandy Smith

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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