CHARLESTON– A West Virginia mine owned by the family of Gov. Jim Justice has been cited for safety violations after a worker’s death at a coal preparation plant in February.
A West Virginia mine owned by the family of Gov. Jim Justice has been cited for safety violations after a worker’s death at a coal preparation plant in February. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration says in a news release that two safety violations were issued to Southern Coal Corp. subsidiary Chestnut Land Holdings LLC in the accident that killed 43-year-old Jason Kenneth Matthews of Bluefield, Virginia.
MSHA says Matthews wasn’t using a safety harness when he fell almost 19 feet from the top of a plate press onto a conveyor belt.
MSHA says the company failed to ensure that harnesses are used when there is a danger of falling and failed to provide a safe means of access to work areas.
A message left with Southern Coal seeking comment wasn’t immediately returned Friday.
