Something to think about -- Miners wearing technology 30 years old

[ohio_liberal]

On the local news this morning, there was a representative of Wheeling Jesuit University discussing the self contained self rescue (SCSR) devices that the miners were wearing. That device is large and and weighs more than 10 lbs and gives them one hour of oxygen. Its design is only truly meant to be used in a situation where they are not trapped in the environment. That technology is 30 years old. The spokeswoman said that it was assumed that technological advances would make the device smaller, lighter, and have longer oxygen duration. There have been no advances, not yet anyway. She stated that the university has just recently been commissioned by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to improve the SCSR technology.

Any improvements or prototypes are at least a year off.

Why did they wait 30 years to make improvements?

edited to add a pic of one model:

[underpants]

1. I am getting the feeling that the health and welfare of miners.....

ranks right up there with the cleanliness of the tires on the company trucks.

30 years? Hell think about the guys who had NOTHING!!! Now take your damned air pack and get your ass down in that hole!!!

[Bluzmann57]

2. Ok here's another view

I work for a company which also owns a mine/quarry here in eastern Iowa and from time to time I must go into the mine for errands or other things. We are required by law to take self rescuers and "mine tags", which are basically id tags in case of the unthinkable. The self rescuers are somewhat bulky but do not weigh 10 lbs. or more. They are designed as a last resort. They are somewhat like respirators and are weighed every so often. Quarterly I believe. There probably is a difference between a coal mine in West Virginia and a rock mining operation in eastern Iowa but the same laws apply. We are also required to do MSHA refreshers annually. This is required by federal law. I know for a fact that every person who falls under MSHA inspection guidelines is required to take this refresher. This includes these men in WV. Does technology need to be updated in the mining industry? Yes, but the self rescuers which are described in the original post are a last resort and should be used as such. They are not to be used for long term survival.
Bottom line is this. The owner(s) of this mine are facing not only fines, but prison time if he (they) are found negligent. MSHA does not take this stuff lightly.

[Gman]

3. Maybe pre-2000 and post-1992 MSHA didn't take this stuff lightly

but now is a different story. I know nothing about MSHA but I know how Bushco does business.

[ohio_liberal]

5. True that

I posted a link to a dKos diary about the citations MSHA handed out to the company that owns the mine. 168 violations = $3600!

[Bluzmann57]

6. Um... we just got cited for missing guards on machinery

I do know about MSHA. I am the Union safety rep at my company and must walk around with the inspectors when they do their twice a year tours of our operation. They inspect the mine four times a year. The inspectors take their jobs very seriously.

[ohio_liberal]

4. The OP wasn't meant to throw blame entirely on the technology

We have to give people the safest environment possible. That includes good technology. It's not meant to take away from the fact that this company has been cited umpteen times for safety violations.