Mine disaster site had 57 safety violations in March

[cal04]

http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0406/disaster-site-cited-57-safety-violations-march/

An explosion ripped through a coal mine in West Virginia, killing 25 workers and leaving four unaccounted for in one of the worst US mining disasters in recent years, officials said.

And the disaster site was cited for "57 infractions just last month for violations that included repeatedly failing to develop and follow a ventilation plan," ABC News reports.

"A federal audit released just days before a massive explosion killed 25 coal miners in West Virginia found that the country's top mine safety agency was not adequately retraining its veteran inspectors, even as hundreds of new inspectors were being hired," FOX News reports.

The audit, released on March 30, found that 56 percent of veteran Mine Safety and Health Administration inspectors had not completed required retraining between 2006 and 2007. A few hadn't attended any training sessions since the policy was enacted a decade earlier, and even entry-level hires "lacked supporting documentation" to show they went through the required 21-23 weeks of instruction.

The report found there were "no consequences" for not attending retraining, and said that training gap "increases the possibility that hazardous conditions may not be identified and corrected during inspections which, in turn, could increase the risk of accidents, injuries, fatalities."


http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/west-va-coal-company-deadly-explosion-fined-millions/story?id=10293691

[HopeHoops]

1. Has FOX found a way to blame it on Obama yet?

:shrug:

[Kievan Rus]

2. This tragedy happened because corporations and the rich are above the law

[MineralMan]

3. Never mind.

There are plenty of out-of-work miners to replace the ones who died. That safety stuff is expensive! :sarcasm:

[sharp_stick]

6. Sarcasm smiley not needed

you are exactly right with the statement. There are no consequences for ignoring safety violations and the companies know it.

[sharp_stick]

4. Until they start to put some teeth

into the penalties there will never be a mining company that actually gives a shit what the inspectors find, say or do. It's cheaper to hire new people than fix the mistakes that kill the old ones.

Miners are among the most disposable asset of any major conglomerate.

57 violations should be enough to force a shutdown of the damned place until everything is brought back up to spec. If my local KFC has 3 violations in a month they shut the fucking doors but Blakenship and his handily purchased State can act without consequence.

[blm]

5. So Massey's been funding teabaggers instead of funding safety measures for the mines' workers

and teabaggers still think they aren't part of the smokescreen being used by corporate thugs intent on furthering their fascist agenda?

[KittyWampus]

7. I've posted multiple times that Progressives need to push for Mine Safety.

Good to see DU'ers catching up.

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. JUDICIAL CORRUPTION is at the heart of the failure to enforce safety - LINK

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/west-va-coal-company-deadly-explosion-fined-millions/story?id=10293691&page=2

The company is well known in West Virginia, in part because CEO Don Blankenship grew to become a fixture in state politics, doling out thousands of dollars to candidates he favored – most of them Republicans. In 2004, he spent millions on advertising that attacked a West Virginia state Supreme Court justice, leading to the election of challenger Brent Benjamin.

Massey had a $70 million case before the state Supreme Court and, once elected, Benjamin made the controversial decision not to recuse himself because of Blankenship's support of him and to hear arguments anyway. Another member of the court hearing the case was Chief Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard. He later recused himself after photographs surfaced showing that he vacationed with Blankenship in the French Riviera.

(snip)

The conflicts surrounding the state Supreme Court saga triggered a cascade of changes, including a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that called on judges to recuse themselves when major donors come before them in court, and a vote by the West Virginia legislature to adopt public financing of judicial campaigns.