MSHA: Massey didn't report accidents at W.Va. mine, 20+ times

[babylonsister]

MSHA: Massey didn't report accidents at W.Va. mine

By TIM HUBER (AP) – 17 hours ago


CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Government investigators have cited Massey Energy for failing to report more than 20 accidents at its Upper Big Branch coal mine in the two years before an April explosion killed 29 miners there, according to documents released by the Mine Safety and Health Administration on Tuesday.

Just four of the alleged violations directly involve the explosion. The rest occurred between January 2008 and early this year. Among other things, they involve unreported roof collapses, assorted injuries and two instances of miners exercising their right to move out of dusty areas of the mine because they've contracted black lung disease.

All were supposed to be reported. MSHA said the citations were issued because the agency did not learn of the violations until it performed an audit stemming from its investigation of the explosion. The blast also is the subject of a federal criminal investigation.

Massey is reviewing the citations and records at its other operations to determine why violations may not have been reported, spokesman Jeff Gillenwater said. Massey operates dozens of coal mines in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia.

"We agree with some citations and disagree with others," Gillenwater said.

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ju9dMhMKJsWEIPcwJlUj3UT7jpqwD9HLE27G2

[spanone]

1. massey murderers...i suspect a whole lot of nothing will come of this

[mike r]

2. "We need to let businesses function as businesses. Corporate business is what built America,

in my opinion, and we need to let it thrive by, in a sense, leaving it alone."
- Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy, 2010.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

3. They say: "We agree with some citations and disagree with others,"....

I hear: "Well officer, I was speeding and I may have hit that pedestrian, but I wouldn't say I was driving RECKLESSLY."

OK, that may be a little weak, but the point is that Massey doesn't get to set the standard of mine safety. There were dangerous conditions in their mines and they were cited for it.plain and simple. Their validation of the charges has zero to do with anything.

[Doctor_J]

4. Since corporations are now people, this should fall under

"three strikes, you're out", and Massey should be padlocked for eternity.

[foxfeet]

5. K&R