OREANDA-NEWS. August 25, 2011. The Administration of Krasnodoncoal has identified a set of safety enforcement measures above the safety requirements provided for in the legislation currently in force. These measures are to assure the highest possible safety level for the miners of the enterprise. They include additional air cooling, maximum possible automation of the people and equipment underground location control systems, as well as additional training of the mine workers in safety.

Also, PJSC Krasnodoncoal has adopted the Resolution to pay bonuses to the miners for compliance with the safety rules. Incentives for active safety efforts will motivate the miners to be more responsible towards the labor safety requirements.

Inspection of electrical and mechanical equipment and cabling networks has been undertaken in all mines of the Company. The inspection findings will serve as basis for development of a set of measures intended to provide additional individual air cooling in the mine workings with high ambient temperature.

By the end of 2011 the program on introduction of the personnel and mobile equipment positioning devices will be developed and implemented. This system will allow automated and continuous monitoring of the people and transportation equipment location underground, inform the drivers of the underground transportation about people on the way of their movement, optimize the work of underground transportation, facilitate the search for and identification of the personnel by the mine rescuers in cases of emergency.

It is planned to further improve the personnel training process.

Training of the newcomer-personnel at the Training Center will be extended from 2 to 2.5 months, the curriculum will include more practical sessions. The training coal face and drift working face will be assigned to the Training Center with equipment and industrial safety devices allowing conduction of practical sessions with the trainees. Experienced workers will be involved as mentors.

A group of public inspectors on labor and industrial safety will be established under the Technical Function of Krasnodoncoal. This group will be comprised of the engineering and technical personnel possessing extensive experience in the mines. The trade unions will also be involved.

Safety expenses of the enterprise till the end of 2011 will comprise over UAH 80 mln., Suhodolskaya-Vostochnaya alone in 2011 will utilize UAH 14 mln.

Furthermore, a special monitoring regime has been established at the mines of Krasnodoncoal, envisaging 24/7 presence of the management personnel on duty in shifts. The enhanced monitoring is first of all targeted at assurance of compliance with the dust and gas regime, dust-explosion protection, ventilation sustainability, compliance with the mine work management passports and drilling and blasting operations regimes.

According to the findings of the Government Investigation Committee with regards to the emergency at Suhodolskoe-Vostochnoe mine and the Orders issued by Krasnodoncoal, 6 managers of Suhodolskoe-Vostochnoe mine have been dismissed pursuant to the procedure provided for in the law: Chief Engineer, Deputy Director on Labor Safety, Head of the Drifting Section, Head of the Ventilation and Safety Section, Shift Manager and the Head of Drilling and Blasting Operations Section.

Furthermore, in accordance with the Resolution of the Committee, different administrative sanctions have been applied to a number of employees and top-executives of the Krasnodoncoal Administration for weakening of control over organization of the workers’ compliance with the requirements of legal and regulatory documents on safety.