Owners Agree to W. Va Mines
Most of West Virginia's 544 coal mines were expected to follow a request from Gov. Joe Manchin to close for safety checks before resuming operations, after two mine workers were killed in separate accidents on the same day. An industry group that represents 80 percent of the state's coal producers said its members would comply. "They were interrupting the shifts if they were in a working shift," said Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association. Spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg said Manchin does not have the authority to shut down mines that do not heed the safety check request, but she was unaware of any companies refusing to do so. Both of Wednesday's accidents occurred in Boone County, about 50 miles south of the state capital. State mine safety officials said a bulldozer operator was killed at the Black Castle Surface Mine operated by Massey Energy Co. subsidiary Elk Run Coal Co. in Uneeda. An underground miner died after a wall support failed at Long Branch Energy's No. 18 Tunnel Mine in Wharton, officials said. The accidents brought to 16 the number of mining-related deaths in West Virginia since Jan. 2, and the first at a surface operation. Only three mining-related fatalities occurred in 2005, a record low for the state. Beyond the safety checks, Manchin also told state mine regulators to speed up their mine inspection schedule and review all 229 surface and 315 underground mines immediately. Each mine is scheduled to be inspected every three months, Manchin said in a statement, and the state will immediately begin "inspecting each mine in the state and their equipment, conditions, engineering plans, safety procedures and safe work practices." "We're going to check for unsafe conditions, and we're going to correct any unsafe conditions before we mine another lump of coal," Manchin said. "West Virginia remains committed to putting the safety of every one of our miners first and foremost, far above any production that might come from that mining operation," Manchin said at a news conference. David Dye, acting U.S. assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, later urged coal mines nationwide to conduct safety and training sessions on Monday for workers at the beginning of each shift.
Most of West Virginia's 544 coal mines were expected to follow a request from Gov. Joe Manchin to close for safety checks before resuming operations, after two mine workers were killed in separate accidents on the same day. An industry group that represents 80 percent of the state's coal producers said its members would comply. "They were interrupting the shifts if they were in a working shift," said Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association. Spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg said Manchin does not have the authority to shut down mines that do not heed the safety check request, but she was unaware of any companies refusing to do so. Both of Wednesday's accidents occurred in Boone County, about 50 miles south of the state capital. State mine safety officials said a bulldozer operator was killed at the Black Castle Surface Mine operated by Massey Energy Co. subsidiary Elk Run Coal Co. in Uneeda. An underground miner died after a wall support failed at Long Branch Energy's No. 18 Tunnel Mine in Wharton, officials said. The accidents brought to 16 the number of mining-related deaths in West Virginia since Jan. 2, and the first at a surface operation. Only three mining-related fatalities occurred in 2005, a record low for the state. Beyond the safety checks, Manchin also told state mine regulators to speed up their mine inspection schedule and review all 229 surface and 315 underground mines immediately. Each mine is scheduled to be inspected every three months, Manchin said in a statement, and the state will immediately begin "inspecting each mine in the state and their equipment, conditions, engineering plans, safety procedures and safe work practices." "We're going to check for unsafe conditions, and we're going to correct any unsafe conditions before we mine another lump of coal," Manchin said. "West Virginia remains committed to putting the safety of every one of our miners first and foremost, far above any production that might come from that mining operation," Manchin said at a news conference. David Dye, acting U.S. assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, later urged coal mines nationwide to conduct safety and training sessions on Monday for workers at the beginning of each shift.
posted by Chaz at 8:14 AM
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