Sunrise is committed to safety. We work closely with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to ensure that our miners are working in the safest possible conditions at all times. During weekly visits you will find MSHA inspectors traveling deep into the mine and reviewing our safety procedures.

The cornerstone of our safety program is our strong training program. Training takes place on-site in the mine’s training facility. Sunrise has eight MSHA-certified instructors on staff. Throughout the year, instructors offer annual retraining to all underground and surface employees, initial surface and underground training, inexperienced miner training, first-aid training, drug and alcohol awareness training for managers, and several other mandatory training courses. In addition to the in-class time, managers spend time training in mock mine disaster drills for additional hands-on experience.

What’s new in safety at Sunrise?

As pioneers in mining safety, Sunrise implemented an innovative safety education program to encourage miners to learn MSHA Federal Safety Code in September 2010. The "30 CFR Olympics" which has gained national recognition within the mining industry, allows Sunrise to develop a more knowledgeable workforce and proactively prevent accidents and injuries. The program will lead to an even safer mining environment with Sunrise pledging $350,000 in cash incentives for workers who pass mine safety tests. See Brent Bilsland, Sunrise President, talk about the 30 CFR Olympic safety program on Platts Energy Week in Washington DC.

In May 2009, 13 Sunrise miners participated in a detailed three-day Emergency First Responders course covering Basic First Aid, CPR, and how to treat and transport victims in case of major accidents. As a result, one First Responder or EMT will be on every crew, every shift.

In 2008, Sunrise, working with Southern Illinois University, developed a new concept in respirable dust control on our continuous miners. Data showed that the new controls significantly reduced the respirable dust and quartz from the atmosphere. These results are promising as Coal Miner’s Pneumoconiosis is a dangerous disease, but with state-of-the-art technology and proper training we can work to eliminate it.