Two coal-mine disasters that cost 14 West Virginia miners their lives this month have stirred state and federal officials to review coal-mine safety regulations.
Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., spoke a grim truism when he said, “It’s unfortunate that every mine-safety law on the books has been written with the blood of coal miners. It’s taken tragedy to get legislation passed.”
Both Aracoma Coal Co.’s Alma No. 1 coal mine at Melville, W.Va., where two miners died after a coal conveyor-belt fire Thursday, and International Coal Group’s Sago Mine near Tallmansville, where 12 miners perished after an explosion and fire three weeks ago, had been cited dozens of times for safety violations. Strict enforcement, as well as new regulations, may be needed.
U.S. coal-mining deaths, which reached a high of 3,242 in 1907, have steadily declined to 22 in 2005, mainly due to mechanization and pressure for safety regulations. In addition, better mining methods, equipment and training have greatly reduced the death toll in an inherently dangerous industry.
Gov. Joe Manchin III on Monday asked the West Virginia legislature to pass laws requiring coal-mine operators to immediately contact a new statewide hotline to report an accident or face a $100,000 fine; cache extra breathing packs in mines to augment individual one-hour oxygen cannisters carried by miners, and issue electronic gear to help pinpoint the exact location of miners trapped underground.
Meanwhile, spurred by the Sago tragedy, a Senate appropriations subcommittee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee began hearings on mine safety this week.
Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., was on target in slamming the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s lax enforcement policies. “These deaths were entirely preventable,” Byrd said, “And we owe the families of these deceased and noble and great and brave men a hard look (at) what happened and why.”
The Bush administration has begun a belated review of mine equipment requirements after scrapping a similar effort begun in the Clinton years. U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao two years ago urged Congress to quadruple fines for the most egregious safety violations from $60,000 to $220,000, but the White House didn’t make a formal request until after the Sago explosion.
When both the National Mining Association and the United Mine Workers say it’s time for a major overhaul of state and federal mine safety laws, you know it’s time to listen. Other states with underground mines, including Colorado, should take heed.
