The Kentucky Office of Mine Safety and Licensing is implementing what the Office describes as strong, assertive measures focused on roof falls and rib rolls that have resulted in four underground mining fatalities this year.
The latest fatality occurred June 16 when 42-year-old Jimmy Carmack, of Barbourville, died from a rib roll in a Harlan County mine.
Officials have ordered mine safety analysts to visit every mine at the beginning of each shift with the goal of meeting with every miner to reinforce safety measures already in place.
Officials say the focus is on safety and making sure each Kentucky miner that goes underground pays attention to his or her environment at all times, and the goal is no more mining deaths in 2010.