MSHA: 2004 JAH Professional Miners Program

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Mine Safety and Health Administration
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Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association
Professional Miner Recognition

The Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association (JAHSA) was organized in 1916 to promote health and safety in the mining industry. The Association currently recognizes miners and mine operators for supporting these values. The Association also sponsors the “Professional Miner Program," which recognizes individual miners who have worked injury free for various periods of time. Through the program, the Association can communicate directly with individual miners using mail and E-mail regarding health and safety matters. For more on this program, please visit their web site at http://www.holmessafety.org/prominer/index.htm.

The Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association held a ceremony on August 19 to announce the first recipients of Professional Miner recognition. Please find a list of those recipients below. For an individual photo of each recipient, click on their names.

Doug Conaway, extreme left, president of the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association, and Dave Lauriski, MSHA Assistant Secretary, on the far right, pose with the first ever group of miners to be officially recognized as “Professional Miners” in recognition of their years of working in the mining industry without experiencing a accidental injury on the job. Lauriski called the honored miners “...pioneers at the forefront of a new day in mine safety and health history, leading us to an even safer, more healthful and productive American mining industry.”

Names of those in the photo, from left to right:

Doug Conaway, J. Steve Potter, Elaine Haussecker, Stephen Bolling (Behind Elaine), Lilliam G. Vergara, Justin Ellis (Behind Lilliam), Joseph Krause, Eric Kechejian, Michael Carpenter, John Riggi, and Dave D. Lauriski.

See Dave D. Lauriski's Remarks

Biographies of first ever "Professional Miners"
For Pictures, Click on Names

Name: Elaine Haussecker State: Texas Company Name: TXI Bridgeport Sand and Gravel Current Position: Front-end Loader Operator Years worked in the mining industry: 5 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Platinum	Name: Eric Kechejian State: New York Company Name: Tilcon NY/ NJ Current Position: Safety Director Years worked in the mining industry: 9 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Platinum

Name: J. Steve Potter State: Virginia Company Name: Iluka Resources- Virginia Operations Current Position: Mining Coordinator Years worked in the mining industry: 25 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Platinum	Name: James R. Patsey (Not Pictured Above) State: West Virginia Company Name: Pin Oak Resources-Pinnacle Mining Company Current Position: Fireboss Years worked in the mining industry: 28 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Platinum

Name: John Riggi State: Pennsylvania Company Name: RAG Cumberland Current Position: Shuttle Car Operator Years worked in the mining industry: 26 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Gold	Name: Joseph Krause State: Texas Company Name: TXI Bridgeport Sand and Gravel Operation Current Position: Electrical Manager Years worked in the mining industry: 10 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Gold

Name: Justin Ellis State: Virginia Company Name: Iluka Resources- Virginia Operations Current Position: Field Services Operator Years worked in the mining industry: 4 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Gold	Name: Lilliam G. Vergara State: New Jersey Company Name: Tilcon N.Y.- Mt. Hope Quarry Current Position: Haul Truck Driver Years worked in the mining industry: 5 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Platinum

Name: Michael Carpenter State: West Virginia Company Name: Elk Run Coal Company Current Position: Shuttle Car Operator Years worked in the mining industry: 30 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Platinum	Name: Stephen Bolling State: Virginia Company Name: Iluka Resources- Virginia Operations Current Position: Primary Team Leader Years worked in the mining industry: 7 Level of Professional Miner recognition: Platinum

Levels: Platinum - 5 years No Accidents Gold - 3 Years No Accidents


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