navigate: home: magazine: fall 2002: article

Ramani directs mine accident commission
Dr. Raja V. Ramani, professor emeritus of mining and geoenvironmental engineering, is heading Pennsylvania’s special commission to investigate the causes of the Quecreek Mine accident. Penn State Image Resource Center	Dr. Raja V. Ramani, professor emeritus of mining and geoenvironmental engineering, has been tapped by Gov. Mark Schweiker to head Pennsylvania’s special commission to investigate the causes of the Quecreek Mine accident.   Nine coal miners were trapped in the Quecreek Mine for 77 hours from Wednesday night, July 24, until early Sunday morning, July 28, when they were all rescued.   “Pennsylvania miners and their families need to be assured that we will do everything within our power to make sure that an event like this never happens again—that should be the legacy of this frightful experience,” Schweiker said. “The miners and their families need to know that when those miners do go underground, they are going into a stable working environment.”   Schweiker added, “Our first step is to understand exactly what happened at Quecreek. We believe that a special, independent commission that will look at the events objectively and from a wide variety of perspectives is the best way to get the answers we need to help make Pennsylvania mines safer.”   Ramani is chairing the nine-member panel, which includes: James P. Lamont, international safety representative for the United Mine Workers of America Frank R. Kirby, PE, senior mining engineer with Skelly and Loy Engineers and Environmental Consultants, Harrisburg Dr. William Harbert, chairman of the Department of Geology and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh J. Scott Roberts, PG, deputy secretary of mineral resources management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Dr. Jeffery L. Kohler, director of the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory for the National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health, Pittsburgh James J. Szalankiewicz, PE, PLS, co-owner of T.J.S. Mining Inc., Shelocta, Indiana County Steve Kravits, president of Target Drilling Inc., Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County David L. Smith, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency   In naming Ramani to lead the commission, Schweiker noted, “Dr. Ramani has more than 40 years of experience in mining and is a recognized expert in the design, operation and safety policies of underground mining operations.”   “We must learn as much as possible from incidents like this,” Ramani said. “An inquiry completed with thoroughness and urgency can be an effective means to help make mining more safe in the future.”   Ramani is a registered professional engineer and a certified member of the International Society of Mine Safety Professionals who has published more than 100 research papers. He is the author of a major text on mine ventilation and has edited 15 books on a variety of mine engineering and safety issues.
© 2002 Outreach Communications,   Outreach & Cooperative Extension,   The Pennsylvania State University phone: (814) 865-8108,   fax: (814) 863-2765,   e-mail: outreachnews@outreach.psu.edu