Ok, BIG question here about the mine disaster...

[Archae]

I heard somewhere, (I forgot where,) that the company running that mine got dozens of citations, for something or another.

Ok, what were those citations, and does anyone have a URL where I can find a list of them?

[Rainscents]

1. You might find info on Kinkaid's web on this info.

I heard him talking about this yesterday.

[MiniMe]

2. The current company just bought the mine in November........

The previous mine owners got hundreds of safety citations. Sorry, I don't have a link.

[Erika]

5. Mines are transferred continually to avoid fines and

environmental demands. They play a shell game. Period.
Wilbur Ross, is a corporate billionaire raider, who took it over in November. They drain every cent of profit and then move on.

[XemaSab]

3. I heard that on Lehrer

and the person being interviewed said it was for BIG stuff, like proper ventilation and roof stability, among others.

[roguevalley]

4. 208 in the last year. a woman said on the radio that the mine was

told by a worker that they smelled gas a week ago but the miner was blown off. Amazing. They are expendable to management, like pencils.

[Archae]

7. URL please!

Thanks.

[deadparrot]

17. link here...

The more serious alleged violations, resulting in proposed penalties of at least $250 each, involved steps for safeguarding against roof falls, and the mine's plan to control methane and breathable dust. The mine received 208 citations from MSHA during 2005, up from 68 citations in 2004.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/pmupdate/s_409896.html

[Panda1]

18. Another link here

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5079615
Nation
Expert: Reopening Idle Mine is a Risky Moment


All Things Considered, January 2, 2006 · Davitt McAteer, a former assistant secretary for Mine Safety and Health at the U.S. Department of Labor, is an expert on mine safety. He talks with Melissa Block about the mine explosion in West Virginia, and about mine safety.

12 "Roof Falls" in the last year, 185 violations with 96 significant violations in the last year, 46 recent substandard findings with combustible materials.

[pnorman]

24. And one more here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010301433.html

There was a very similiar situation with those trapped coal miners in PA a few years ago. I had some notes of that squirelled away. I'll look for them later on. But if I cn't find them, I think it can be Googled.

****************************************************************************************************
I was listening to Air AMERICA on XMS, while I was typing the above. I just heard a news flash that all but one miner were found dead. Words fail me.

pnorman

[pnorman]

25. 11 of 12 Miners Reported Alive Are Dead

By ALLEN G. BREED
The Associated Press
Wednesday, January 4, 2006; 4:08 AM

TALLMANSVILLE, W.Va. -- Jubilant family members celebrated news early Wednesday that 12 miners were pulled alive from the scene of an underground explosion, only to learn nearly three hours later that they had been misled and just one miner actually survived.

The chief executive of the mine blamed the stunning error on a misunderstood conversation overheard between rescuers and the command center overseeing rescue efforts.

Family members react to the news of only one survivor of the 13 trapped miners, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006 in Tallmansville, W.Va. The family members were told hours before that only one of the 13 miners had died, and then were told the grim news early Wednesday morning that the others had died.

Family members react to the news of only one survivor of the 13 trapped miners, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006 in Tallmansville, W.Va. The family members were told hours before that only one of the 13 miners had died, and then were told the grim news early Wednesday morning that the others had died.
>
>
>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/04/AR2006010400262.html

pnorman

[pnorman]

26. Here's from my notes about those PA miners a few years back:

Retired Miner Speaks Out
A retired miner is claiming that he knows why the map the miners were using was wrong, and did not list the correct distance for the location of the abandoned mine chamber. He contends that the map was wrong because now-deceased miners did not want the government to know they did not follow procedures when they grabbed all the coal they could before abandoning a mine 45 years ago.

"I know why the map is wrong," says Joseph Jashienski, 89, of Somerset. Jashienski says the man who made the map of the Saxman Mine was also the mine's superintendent. The superintendent was fully aware that the Saxman Coal and Coke Company was gathering all the coal it could on its last day in the mine by spinning its machine around, creating a large space in the shape of a baseball diamond. "He didn't want anybody to know he made a ballfield the last day of work," Jashienski said. "If you put on the map that you made a ballfield, the state inspector is going to wonder what you are doing."

I haven't been able to Google that yet, but I'll keep trying.

pnorman
On edit: No surprise, but Dubya managed to turn this into a self-promoting photo-op: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/07/25/national/main516261.shtml

[deadparrot]

20. From the MSHA website...

Don't know if this is what you're looking for, but it seems to be informative. The Sago Mine ID is 4608791 (enter it in the salmon-colored box). After you enter that, selecting "Inspections" appears to list the citations.

http://www.msha.gov/drs/drshome.htm

[cynatnite]

9. I heard someone on TV say it.

They said there were a huge amount of safety violations in the last few years.

[cornermouse]

6. Yesterday they said something about 200

safety citations this year. That said, if I remember correctly, they didn't buy the mine till last March.

[Appalachian_American]

12. 208 violations on one year...

either 2004 or 2005.

The mine was bought by the ICG six weeks ago.

All of these safety violations are just one reason why this IS an important story.

When 13 mine workers died in an accident in Alabama in 2001 it got almost no coverage.

[cornermouse]

23. Sorry, it looks like what i heard was incorrect.

That said, mine safety violations shouldn't be ignored. Someone needs to pay for this.

[JohnnyRingo]

8. Family members aren't happy with the company

I'm watching Anderson Cooper live on CNN.
A carful of residents pulled up and shouted: "Thery're all liars".

I guess they're referring to the company, but I don't know if they mean about their safety record or reports that some were found alive.

I just started watching, so I'm not sure, but it's clear that emotions will be running high tomorrwow

Another scene from GW's America.

[MnFats]

10. AND! how much did Bush cut funding for mine safety inspections?

no link but I recall hearing about substantial cuts that would almost certainly have an impact on mine safety....if that rat bastard starts talking about 'heroes' when he placed them in danger in the first place.....

[Erika]

13. Bush put in for a 25% cut of inspectors.

He, and his flunky, also wants to limit restrictions and make monitoring "voluntary"

[EFerrari]

14. You're right! I remember that now. It was two or three years

ago? On the heels of his "hero" speak, right? I remember because Mr. SF pointed it out to me at the time.

[Erika]

11. Governor is now giving a speech

It was all "confusion". Miscommunication, don't blame him.

[Erika]

15. Governor is now saying to not point fingers

In other words "corporate" gets away with employee deaths once again.

[Syrinx]

16. I don't have the answer to your question

However, to perhaps amplify the point...

Thirteen miners were killed in an explosion in my county a few years ago. It got very little national attention because it happened just a few days after 9/11. That mine is operated by Jim Walters Resources. Their safety record is obscene. Mining is incredibly dangerous, and companies like Jim Walters just don't give a damn.

[MiniMe]

19. Governor saying that they were hearing the "12 alive" info at the site.

But it wasn't confirmed

[vanboggie]

21. Here's the Gov mining safety site

Data retrieval page

http://www.msha.gov/drs/drshome.htm

I get an error on search, but I'm on a laptop that doesn't always cooperate.

[MiniMe]

22. Did you catch this link?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010301433.html