Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Mine safety

Is mine safety important in West Virginia?

The explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine of Massey Energy, in which at least 25 miners are already reported dead, occurred at a mine that was cited for 600 violations in less than 18 months, according to the Associated Press, including at least 50 citations for "'unwarrantable failure' to comply with safety standards such as following an approved ventilation plan, controlling combustible materials or designating escape routes."

Massey Energy is described as "... a powerful and politically connected company in Appalachia known for producing big profits."

The article goes on to say "... it is not uncommon for big coal mines to amass hundreds of violations in a year..."

Within the past month I read a very interesting, 50-year-old book titled The Other Illinois. A significant portion of the book related to mining work in southern Illinois. How many "city folks" up here in northern Illinois know the coal-mining history of our state?
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I doubt there's much mining in Illinois. Cuz you'd find too many bodies of political opponents, and an awful lot of Bull $hit buried! DOH!

ps. the "truth" will never be uncovered. Doh II.

April 7, 2010 at 11:54 AM
Gus said...

When I lived in Denver, my police-equipped Harley was stolen two days after Christmas, 1981. I was snooping around in the office/apartment building in which I lived, after neighbors told me that employees of a mining company had been eye-balling my bike.

It appeared that thieves removed it from the parking garage in the middle of the night. Other neighbors suggested I not go up near Idaho Springs to nose around on the mining company's property, if I didn't want to end up at the bottom of a mine shaft.

It was a nice bike! The cops figured it got parted out pretty fast, but I still look for it.

April 7, 2010 at 11:59 AM

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