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"An explosion at a coal mine in the town of Montcoal, West Virginia has killed 25 people, and become the worst mining disaster in the US since 1984. Although the tragedy is still unfolding, it is already becoming clear that this particular mine had failed several prior safety checks and questions are being asked about the security of the industry in the wake of the tragedy. A brief guide to how the disaster unfolded:"
In the past year, federal inspectors fined the operating company more than $382,000 for repeated serious violations involving its ventilation plan and equipment at Upper Big Branch. The violations also cover failing to follow the plan, allowing combustible coal dust to pile up, and having improper firefighting equipment.
Ellen Smith, owner of Mine Safety and Health News, told Fox News that the latest violation, for ventilation problems, came on March 30.
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According to the report [from the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General], MSHA officials said some inspectors were unable to find the time to attend training because they were so busy investigating a series of recent mining accidents.
The Montcoal, West Virginia, mine where Monday's fatal explosion took place received 458 citations from federal inspectors in 2009, and more than 50 of those were for problems that the operators knew about but had not corrected, according to federal mine safety records.
The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration hit the company with nearly $900,000 in fines in 2009 and has sought more than $100,000 in the first quarter of 2010. Inspectors cited the operators more than 100 times in the first quarter of 2010, including six times for "unwarrantable failure" to correct violations.
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McAteer said on CNN's "American Morning" that "some companies, and this appears to be one, take the approach that these violations are simply a cost of doing business: It's cheaper for us to mine in an unsafe way or in a way that risks people's lives than it is for us to comply with the statutes, comply with the laws."
The regs are reviewed every time a cave-in/explosion/whatever happens. One piece is that, from the sources cited, the inspectors are overwhelmed. The other piece is that coal mining is an inherently dangerous occupation. Those of you old enough think back to the 60s, it seemed that this was a monthly story.
The regs are reviewed every time a cave-in/explosion/whatever happens. One piece is that, from the sources cited, the inspectors are overwhelmed. The other piece is that coal mining is an inherently dangerous occupation. Those of you old enough think back to the 60s, it seemed that this was a monthly story.
Do you think this is true? The article in post #2 indicates some pretty expensive fines and fixes Massey was having to wrestle with.
"some companies, and this appears to be one, take the approach that these violations are simply a cost of doing business: It's cheaper for us to mine in an unsafe way or in a way that risks people's lives than it is for us to comply with the statutes, comply with the laws."
Do you think this is true? The article in post #2 indicates some pretty expensive fines and fixes Massey was having to wrestle with.
"some companies, and this appears to be one, take the approach that these violations are simply a cost of doing business: It's cheaper for us to mine in an unsafe way or in a way that risks people's lives than it is for us to comply with the statutes, comply with the laws."
What did I say that was incorrect or false or even contradicted what you posted?
If you want to pick a fight, fine, but essentially I was agreeing with you for one of the few times. And adding some perspective from knowing some old timer deep miners while I was growing up.
What did I say that was incorrect or false or even contradicted what you posted?
If you want to pick a fight, fine, but essentially I was agreeing with you for one of the few times. And adding some perspective from knowing some old timer deep miners while I was growing up.
Sheesh, I was just asking. It's an interesting question, one that businesses face constantly.
What happened is that this firm is run by a crook.
Forbes, a bastion of big money, found lots to dislike so they did an expose' on the sleazy Blankenship who runs Massey. Intelligent readers would read between the line to know that Forbes was essentially predicting this disaster, and others. See this link: Not King Coal - Forbes.com
Daily KOS repeats what I saw on the TV news last night, that he bankrolled people for the WV Supreme Court, who then decided cases in his favor. I have ties back to WV and this sort of buying and selling of politicians and judges is how it's done there. See this link: Daily Kos: Blankenship's Candidates
There's enough money to be made in coal as it is, without being a crook. Blankenship / Massey represent the dark side of corporate behavior and why we MUST have strong regulatory oversight to prevent abuses and crimes.
Mine operators who'd rather pay the fines than fix the problems should have their mines closed until they fix the problems. Paying the fines doesn't fix the problems, forget the fines, close the mines until problems are fixed.
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My heart go's out to all of the family's who have lost loved ones, in the mining accident trajedy. But time and time again, we see much too oftern, too many of these frequent accidents happening more and more, and in different mining States. If the mines are not safe, then why not just freaking fix the problems. There should be some hefty fines to pay, someone has to answer to this trajedy.
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