Here is an update on the incident

See also:

http://www.usmra.com/download/CSE_Letter_to_MSHA.pdf (6.7 Mb)

Good Afternoon Everyone,

To give everyone the full story and update, please read Jeff Kravitz e-mail below. Attached is also a letter from CSE to MSHA and Dr. Kravitz.

Please distribute to all constituents that you forwarded to yesterday, so that all will be updated and informed of the facts surrounding this training incident.  Thank you.

Charlie Thomas

From: Kravitz, Jeffery H - MSHA
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:23 AM
To: Zeiler, Linda F - MSHA
Subject: Training incident at Dorothy #3 mine 46-09150

Linda,

On Monday I was notified by District 4 of an incident which occurred during training on Saturday, June 27, 2009 at the Dorothy #3 mine in, where eight miners received some degree of chemical burns while using the CSE SR-MP training canister.  This training canister uses KO2 (potassium superoxide) to produce resistance and heat for realistic training, as required by our regulations. 

According to an account of the incident by the company, 8 miners received chemical burns to their mouths and one also had a chemical burn to his forehead after handling a training canister.  All eight went to a hospital for treatment, were released, and are back to work.

Six of the used training canisters were picked up at the District 4 office by Technical Support personnel and delivered to me.  Yesterday, on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 NIOSH and I visited CSE to inspect the canisters and perform visual tests.  KO2 residue was detected on the outside and on the mouthpieces of the training units.  According to CSE personnel who visited the mine and talked to mine personnel, the new training canisters were put in the same travel bag with used units, allowing the new units to become contaminated with KO2.  A new unit of the same manufacture date from CSE’s inventory was tested and no KO2 was detected on the mouthpiece or outside canister.  No remaining units were available from the mine.

Based upon our investigation to date, I can only conclude that the miners who experienced problems used training units that were contaminated on the exterior with KO2, probably from a used unit(s).  Twenty other miners had successfully used the same type of units earlier that day with no mishaps.  I was able to contact the safety director at the mine this morning.  According to Mr. Brian Ball, the Safety Director/HR Director, these units were put in a separate bag, but they were out of his possession for about 15 minutes.  During that time, someone may have put a used unit in the bag; however, he cannot verify that.  He was very cooperative.

 

CSE will be taking voluntary actions as outlined in the attached letter, including use of calcium hydroxide (soda lime) in place of KO2 for all further production.  They will also produce a User Notice emphasizing proper training procedures for distribution to the industry.

Jeff

_______________________________
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