Labor & Employment Law

Another Coal Miner Dies

By James Parks

Another reminder of how dangerous our nation’s coal mines can be: A 28-year-old miner died this morning after an accident last night at the Pocahontas Mine in West Virginia. His death comes two weeks after 29 coal miners were killed in an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine.

The Pocahontas Mine, which is owned by International Coal Group (ICG), is one of the 48 mines identified by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in August 2009 for increased scrutiny. ICG also owned the Sago mine where an explosion in January 2006 killed 12 miners.

House Education and Labor Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.), whose committee released the list of the potentially dangerous mines last week, said:

I am deeply saddened by yet another coal miner’s death. It is especially troubling that this death occurred at a mine that we knew posed a danger to miners. The fact is that a mine that has a pattern of safety problems indicates a dangerous workplace. Tragically, we have had to learn that lesson again today.

The miner’s death comes less than a week before Workers Memorial Day, which honors workers killed or injured on the job and also highlights the need for tough and effective workplace safety laws.

Meanwhile, 11 workers are still missing after an oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on April 23, 2010 (boomark / email).