ch: Our Values in Action

Ideas: Mine Safety

You’ve read the headlines, and heard the stunning statistics: for example, the “company that owns the mine where Saturday’s explosion occurred, Kentucky Darby LLC, is operated by John D. North and Ralph Napier. MSHA records show the mine has had 265 citations and orders and $27,651 in penalties since April 2001.”

How to solve the problem? Democratic Congressman George Miller of California has introduced mine safety legislation that would protect mine workers, and punish companies like the one in Kentucky which operate under gross violation of safety laws. More:

• Increased penalties against scofflaw mine operators. The legislation would impose new fines of up to $1 million for operators who engage in a “pattern of violations” that could lead to injury or death. It would also increase the regular schedule of fines, with the minimum fine increasing from $60 to $500 and the maximum fine increasing from $60,000 to $500,000. The legislation would also ensure that the fines are collected, rather than being allowed to remain unpaid, as they often are today.
• Improved equipment and technology to help miners survive an underground emergency. The legislation would require better communications and tracking equipment, increased and reliable oxygen supplies, and underground refuge stations where miners can go while they await rescue.
• Improved mine rescue teams. The legislation would ensure that mine rescue teams are familiar with the mines they cover. Mine rescue teams must be located within an hour of smaller mines (those with fewer than 36 miners) and they must be located on site at larger mines. The legislation also boosts training for rescue teams, and requires mine operators to notify MSHA within 15 minutes of a serious incident.
• Uniform rules for accident investigations. There are currently no uniform federal rules that govern how a mine accident investigation must be conducted. This legislation would require the Labor Department to issues such rules. In addition, MSHA must hold public hearings as part of every accident investigation.