CONSOL Energy's Fola Operations Earn J. Brett Harvey Safety Award

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CONSOL Energy's (NYSE: CNX) Fola operations in Clay County, WV, have recorded a second million exposure hours worked with no recordable injuries. With this accomplishment, Fola becomes a two-time recipient of CONSOL Energy's prestigious J. Brett Harvey Safety Award.

Fola operations employees have worked one million hours since December 29, 2009, without experiencing any recordable injuries from that time. The record was achieved on Monday, August 29 and was earned by both Fola and Peach Orchard Preparation Plant employees.

"This is a milestone for which every employee at Fola can take credit," CONSOL Energy Chief Executive Officer J. Brett Harvey said of the achievement. "Fola was the initial recipient of this award when it was established three years ago and it is a testament to the Fola team's focus on safety that they have now achieved the award for a second time."

"When we created our Absolute Zero culture four years ago, the underlying belief was that the coal and natural gas industries have the potential to operate accident-free for indefinite periods of time," added CONSOL Energy President Nicholas J. DeIuliis. "The accomplishments and performance of the Fola team proves not just once, but twice, that this goal is achievable."

Fola's surface operations and the Peach Orchard Preparation Plant have a total of 253 employees. Both were recipients earlier this year of Joseph A. Holmes Association safety awards and Mountaineer Guardian Awards from the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training and the West Virginia Coal Association.

The million exposure hours recorded will be recognized by CONSOL Energy when the Fola operations employees are presented with the J. Brett Harvey Safety Award at a special recognition dinner now being planned for October. CONSOL Energy's CNX Gas operations have also been past recipients of the award.

The award is named after CONSOL's chief executive officer and recognizes sites that have shown exemplary safety performance above and beyond the criteria established by past company safety awards. The new award was established in January 2008 and was named after Harvey in recognition of his work to develop the Absolute ZERO safety initiative which the company continues to implement and work toward at all of its operations every day. That initiative recognizes zero accidents as the norm and focuses employees and contractors on achieving an accident-free workplace.

Jack Richardson, vice president of CONSOL Energy Central Appalachia Operations, noted that safety is a commitment made day in and day out by employees and he added that while the milestone of another million hours has now been reached, Fola employees must still remain focused on and committed to safety.

"I am proud of our employees and their continued success," Richardson said. "While reaching one million hours with zero exceptions – for a second time -- is commendable, our focus remains the same. We strive every day to achieve zero accidents through attention to safety and open communication.

"Working safely also means our employees are able to go home safely to their families each and every night," Richardson continued. "At CONSOL Energy, we believe safety trumps production; it trumps profits; and it trumps everything else. Our employees at Fola have proven that statement true -- two million times -- and counting."

CONSOL Energy Inc., the leading diversified fuel producer in the Eastern U.S., is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 Equity Index and the Fortune 500. It has 11 bituminous coal mining complexes in five states and reports proven and probable coal reserves of 4.4 billion tons. It is also a leading Eastern U.S. gas producer, with proved reserves of over 3.7 trillion cubic feet. Additional information about CONSOL Energy can be found at its web site: www.consolenergy.com.

SOURCE CONSOL Energy Inc.