Bevill State’s Mining Department is participating in a unique global partnership, providing mine safety training in the Ukraine through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The venture is spearheaded by the Partnership for Energy and Environmental Reform (PEER).

Mining department employees Ken Russell and Josh Madison traveled to the Ukraine in February to assist the Ukrainian State Committee for Labor Safety (SCLS) set up a training facility for their mine inspectors. The project is an effort to focus on making the industry safer for the more than 500,000 miners employed in that country.

The project, a state-of-the-art mine training facility, will be used to train Ukrainian coal mine inspectors. Expertise from Bevill State’s employees included plans for technology and classroom aids as well as curriculum development for mine safety, inspection and mine emergency rescue training classes.

This month, the Ukraine will send a delegation of coal industry representatives to visit Bevill State’s mine training facility as well as tour two of Alabama’s underground coal mines.

“We are very excited about this visit, because this country chose to come here instead of the MSHA National Mine Academy in West Virginia. This visit will strengthen our relationship with the Ukrainian State Committee for Labor Safety, so that we can serve as a mentor in future global programs,” said Russell.