Tulsa’s Alliance Resource Partners, one of the largest coal-mining companies in the U.S. filed a safety violation report this week with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission.
The filing indicated the company’s operating subsidiary, Tunnel Ridge LLC received an imminent danger order on the morning of April 3 at the Tunnel Ridge mine. It was made under Section 107 (a) of the Mine Act.
A representative of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration was on hand and reportedly observed the operator of a continuous mining machine walking past the cutter head while it was in operation and being moved to another location.
No one was injured and the SEC report showed the mining machine was stopped and remained stationary until the machine operator repositioned himself. Tunnel Ridge was reviewing MSHA’s Order and indicated it might seek judicial review of its issuance.