Grits
04-06-2010, 11:47 AM
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/us/07westvirginia.html?pagewanted=1&hp
Prayers and thoughts for the families of the coal miners of WV, who lost their lives yesterday. The worst US mining disaster since 1984 and one of the most difficult, most high risk jobs in the country. One the CEO should be made to go underground and perform for a year, particularly, after this disaster and circulating this memo to mining superintendents. Evidently, with this great a number of violations, safety never was made a top priority. Quick now, though, to convey his concerns and assurance to family members of still missing miners:
In a statement, Massey’s chief executive officer, Don Blankenship, said mine rescue teams and state and federal officials were responding to the explosion. “We want to assure the families of all the miners we are taking every action possible to locate and rescue those still missing,” Mr. Blankenship said.
For at least six of the past 10 years, federal records indicate, the Upper Big Branch mine has recorded an injury rate worse than the national average for similar operations. The records also show that the mine had 458 violations in 2009, with a total of $897,325 in safety penalties assessed against it last year. It has paid $168,393 in safety penalties.
“Massey’s commitment to safety has long been questioned in the coalfields,” said Tony Oppegard, a lawyer and mine safety advocate from Kentucky.
Those concerns were heightened in 2006 when an internal memo written by Mr. Blankenship became public. In the memo, Mr. Blankenship instructed the company’s underground mine superintendents to place coal production first.
“This memo is necessary only because we seem not to understand that the coal pays the bills,” he wrote.
One can be certain families are hanging onto the depth of sincerety spoken by this man following yesterday's blast.
Save it, dude.
Prayers and thoughts for the families of the coal miners of WV, who lost their lives yesterday. The worst US mining disaster since 1984 and one of the most difficult, most high risk jobs in the country. One the CEO should be made to go underground and perform for a year, particularly, after this disaster and circulating this memo to mining superintendents. Evidently, with this great a number of violations, safety never was made a top priority. Quick now, though, to convey his concerns and assurance to family members of still missing miners:
In a statement, Massey’s chief executive officer, Don Blankenship, said mine rescue teams and state and federal officials were responding to the explosion. “We want to assure the families of all the miners we are taking every action possible to locate and rescue those still missing,” Mr. Blankenship said.
For at least six of the past 10 years, federal records indicate, the Upper Big Branch mine has recorded an injury rate worse than the national average for similar operations. The records also show that the mine had 458 violations in 2009, with a total of $897,325 in safety penalties assessed against it last year. It has paid $168,393 in safety penalties.
“Massey’s commitment to safety has long been questioned in the coalfields,” said Tony Oppegard, a lawyer and mine safety advocate from Kentucky.
Those concerns were heightened in 2006 when an internal memo written by Mr. Blankenship became public. In the memo, Mr. Blankenship instructed the company’s underground mine superintendents to place coal production first.
“This memo is necessary only because we seem not to understand that the coal pays the bills,” he wrote.
One can be certain families are hanging onto the depth of sincerety spoken by this man following yesterday's blast.
Save it, dude.