[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 187 (Wednesday, November 15, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CELEBRATING THE SENTINEL OF SAFETY AWARD WINNERS

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                           HON. BRADLEY BYRNE

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 15, 2017

  Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize twenty mining 
companies awarded the National Mining Association's (NMA) Sentinels of 
Safety award, the oldest occupational safety and health award in our 
nation. Presented annually, the award recognizes mines that have worked 
the most employee hours in a year without experiencing an injury.
  In addition to the Sentinels award, the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health recognized three mining companies that 
``have made an extraordinary effort to apply technology or improve 
processes in innovative ways, above and beyond mandatory requirements, 
to improve mine worker safety and health.''
  The Sentinels award was created in 1925 by a mining engineer, then-
Secretary of Commerce and future President Herbert Hoover, who desired 
to ``stimulate greater interest in safety among the nation's mineral 
extractive industries and to encourage the development of more 
effective accident prevention programs by according national 
recognition to operations achieving outstanding safety records.''
  The U.S. mining industry continues to make great strides in safety 
performance. Last year, 85 percent of the more than 11,000 mines in our 
country operated without a single injury. This year's Sentinels award 
winners are the top twenty operations among the 3,500 mines operating 
without a single injury.
  The National Mining Association continues to be a leader in mine 
safety and health.
  Our miners are indeed a precious national resource serving as the 
front-end of the supply chain for the energy, minerals and materials 
that are indispensable to our standard of living and prosperity. We 
should be thankful for what they provide our great country and proud of 
them for being both more productive and safer than ever before.
  The following are the 2016 NMA Sentinels of Safety and NIOSH 
technology award winners: Freedom Mine--The Coteau Properties Co, 
Barrick Cortez--Barrick Cortez, Inc., South Arturo Mine--Barrick 
Goldstrike Mines, Inc., Barrick Cortez Underground--Barrick Cortez, 
Bull Mountains Mine No. 1--Signal Peak Energy, LLC, Briggs Plant--
Fordyce Holdings, Inc., Murphy Plant--Fordyce Holdings, Inc., Ceredo 
Dock--Kanawha River Terminals, LLC, Cargill Deicing Technology, 
Cleveland--Cargill, Inc., St. Genevieve Facility--Tower Rock Stone Co., 
Portage Aggregate & Supply LLC, Curtin Gap Quarry--Hanson Aggregates 
Pennsylvania LLC, Siderite Mine--Sidco Minerals Inc., Coon Cedar Grove 
Mine--Marfork Coal Co., LLC, Buick Mine/Mill--The Doe Run Co., Decker's 
Creek Limestone Co--Decker's Creek Limestone Co., Kinross Gold, 
Freeport-McMoRan, Peabody.
  On behalf of Alabama's First Congressional and the entire House, I 
applaud this year's winners and look forward to continuing to advocate 
for the health and safety of our miners throughout my time in Congress.

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