Reminds me of my operating a loading underground mining machine, a "Joy loading machine, years ago. I miss those days. Once you get coal mining in the blood, your hooked! Great occupation, mining machinery to handle almost everything to be done in the mines.
I see no real problem in letting a "visitor" running a bolting rig, assuming she was properly supervised by a fully qualified rig operator. No way would a "proper" operator allow her do do so if he / she thought there was any perceivable risk at the time. Remember, all Underground miners live with, and fully understand, the risks of the job, & no one with even half a brain, would pass those risks to a "visitor", no matter how cute she was ! GB
Oh I have A comment . I was laid off from the only job I have ever had that I actually enjoyed . The coal mines in southwest Virginia are the safest place in the world . It's A dangerous job do not get me wrong . I only worked for A few years underground but the time I was underground I always felt safe . The only reason that I felt safe was the people . The best people I have ever met in my life . Hardest working , most intelligent , down to earth people you would ever meet . The mines that have been shut down in this area have devastated the economy . They just shut down A whole hospital In Lee county . The effects are on our jobs . Now there are a few large mines still open for NOW . But all of that coal goes to China , to support the steel industry that left the rust belt behind . I worked my butt off to get the best job of my life and then politicians threw it away for Fracking . I mean come on have you even looked into what kind of chemicals they are pumping into our ground water . These people do not care . They make their millions , billions and move to another country leaving us with out any jobs . Were drinking hydrochloric acid ...THEY....... Then say " Well it's good for the environment " ......are you freaking kidding me . Please people reading this spend a few moments of your time and look into fracking They say coal is bad ........it's not the environment they care about it's their buddies bank accounts that change the policies in this country . Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely .....................GodSpeed ...................... ....................The Cracken ................................................................
I hope you get your job back soon man . Kentucky Power was FORCED by Obama & the EPA to close the Coal fired Power Plant Big Sandy in Lawrence co Ky . They replaced it with Natural gas & its nothing but a Fuck up !!! Power bills have went Up twice already, it produces half the Electricity the Coal fired plant did . Not to even mention the tens of Thousands of lost jobs that we certainly needed . I also read that the Gas fired plant is putting out Twice the Greenhouse gas's as Coal & making half the Electricity . Humm Who would have ever Thunk that ?
I could write an essay on what each of you two guys have said, Election Mechnix, and Ronnie Lemaster. My father worked 40+ years in Perry, and Letcher county KY in the mines. I put in 16+ years for CSX. I'd like to reiterate; " But all of that coal goes to China. I can remember seeing CSX maps which depicted their 'system,' showing coal hauled from the coal fields to the East coast, and then barged to China. Ossama Obama did not object that coal mined in the US was used in China he just absolutely did not want it used in the US. Both of you guys play directly into the hands of the leftist dem politicians, and leftist media in this country. Mechnix speaks of how terrible fracking is, and of the damage done to the coal fields as a result of ossama obama, and Hiltabeast as she said; "We'll put you miners out of work." Lemaster says "natural gas puts out twice the greenhouse gas as coal making half the electricity." Both of you buy into, and believe the lies you are told by the leftist government, leftist dems, and the leftist dems, and you repeat their lies. You repeat the lies of those who are determined to destroy your industry, and your careers. All of this 'climate change,' carbon crap, calimity is a LIE. You should research this; all of these lies come from those who are on the tax payer payroll, government entities the world over. Men such as yourselves should school yourself, and NOT repeat the BS you hear from those who are out to destroy not only the standard of living in the US, but Europe, virtually all of Western Civilization while China, Asia, Africa, Russia prosper. I wish you well with a job in the coal mines in the future..
Umm, not a ram car. A shuttle car. End deck 10 to be exact. Plus, if you noticed the drill pod was barely moving. Not enough up pressure to do any damage...
Nope you can train on supervised equipment but you can not be on the equipment as the sole operator without an experienced miner in eyesight. The 45 days is only applicable to Kentucky and the only real requirement is that you are in eyesight of a person with more than 45 day experience. Unions lobbied for the 45 day rule in Kentucky decades ago to keep new miners out since a company wouldn't want to be responsible for babysitting a grown man or woman for a month and a half while also paying them. But it ended up making it worse because it brought about contractors who drain the company of more money than a hired miner would cost and in the end. In Virginia the Unions lobbied for 120 days but after just one year the state overturned the rule allowing a "new miner" to run anything after being certified by the section supervisor.
