A Kentucky coal company has been fined nearly $600,000 by the federal government, stemming from violations that directly contributed to the death of a miner last year.In June 2011, David Partin was killed at the Manalapan Mining Company’s P-1 Mine in Harlan County. A large section of rock fell from the coal mine’s wall, and knocked him into a dolly.MSHAfound that Manalapan Mining didn’t provide adequate support for the mine walls. The operators also didn’t conduct adequate pre-shift and on-shift examinations, and didn’t change the mining plans at all to respond to changing geologic conditions.MSHA spokeswoman Amy Louviere says the $594,100 fine is on the larger side for an accident only resulting in one death, but the violations were serious.Manalapan Mining is contesting the violations. Company officials were also indicted by a grand jury in February, in response to the accident.
