Mine Safety Campaign Unveiled

“Bring Them Home Safe!” is the theme of a new Kentucky mine safety campaign launched at the state Capitol. Since 1890, more than seven thousand miners have lost their lives in Kentucky coal mines.  But in recent decades, because of mine safety improvements, mining deaths have been on the decline.  So far this year, five Kentucky miners have been killed. Energy and Environment Secretary Len Peters wants to see that number drop to zero. “We aren’t there yet, but we’re certainly on our way.  And there aren’t very many industries that can look back over 60 years and say that each decade, their mine fatality rate decreased by 70% for each decade along the way,” he said.At a news conference in Frankfort, Peters read a gubernatorial proclamation declaring September as Kentucky Coal Miner Safety Month.