{Beaver, West Virginia}...Tuesday, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration released its report on the April 5, 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine explosion. The report concluded that the root cause of the explosion was the, "unlawful policies and practices," implemented by Performance Coal Co. and Massey Energy. The report accuses Massey of promoting and enforcing a workplace culture that valued production over safety while attempting to hide noncompliance with federal and state regulations. The investigation found that the explosion was caused by a methane ignition that transitioned into a small methane explosion that then set off a massive coal dust explosion that could have been prevented. MSHA says the mine lacked working methane gas detection methods and proper ventilation. Other findings state that Massey established a system to give warning when safety inspectors were headed to the mine, kept two sets of safety and health hazard books for the mine and let the conditions at the mine deteriorate. MSHA issued 369 citations and orders, including 21 flagrant violations, and announced it issued a fine of nearly $11 million for violations related to the explosion. That's the largest fine in MSHA history. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumpka says corporate greed caused the explosion, and those responsible should face stiff penalties. Trumpka said Tuesday's announcement of a $200 million global settlement of civil and criminal penalties against the company is a welcome beginning, but it is far from the end of the justice those 29 miners, and their families, deserve, and the only way to make a real down payment on justice is to ensure the guilty serve appropriately stiff jail sentences. United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts says responsibility should be on upper-level management at Massey who created the safety-last culture at the company, and the UMW firmly believes the evidence is there for such criminal prosecution, and until someone goes to jail, there will be no justice.Tuesday, December 6, 2011
MSHA Releases UBB Report
{Beaver, West Virginia}...Tuesday, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration released its report on the April 5, 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine explosion. The report concluded that the root cause of the explosion was the, "unlawful policies and practices," implemented by Performance Coal Co. and Massey Energy. The report accuses Massey of promoting and enforcing a workplace culture that valued production over safety while attempting to hide noncompliance with federal and state regulations. The investigation found that the explosion was caused by a methane ignition that transitioned into a small methane explosion that then set off a massive coal dust explosion that could have been prevented. MSHA says the mine lacked working methane gas detection methods and proper ventilation. Other findings state that Massey established a system to give warning when safety inspectors were headed to the mine, kept two sets of safety and health hazard books for the mine and let the conditions at the mine deteriorate. MSHA issued 369 citations and orders, including 21 flagrant violations, and announced it issued a fine of nearly $11 million for violations related to the explosion. That's the largest fine in MSHA history. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumpka says corporate greed caused the explosion, and those responsible should face stiff penalties. Trumpka said Tuesday's announcement of a $200 million global settlement of civil and criminal penalties against the company is a welcome beginning, but it is far from the end of the justice those 29 miners, and their families, deserve, and the only way to make a real down payment on justice is to ensure the guilty serve appropriately stiff jail sentences. United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts says responsibility should be on upper-level management at Massey who created the safety-last culture at the company, and the UMW firmly believes the evidence is there for such criminal prosecution, and until someone goes to jail, there will be no justice.