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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
 Posted - 09/29/2006 : 7:03:08 PM
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Governor Joe Manchin took center stage Thursday night at the
Coal Symposium in Bluefield, W.V. Safety inside the mines was
at the top of the list.
The governor spoke of the recent tragedies, as well as the
accomplishments the coal industry has made, when it comes
to safety. Also at the conference today, a commission the
governor and his staff have been working very closely with,
revealed new information. The Commission on Mine Health and
Safety presented its recommendations. The Commission has 71 recommendations in 5 different categories. Commission Chair
Larry Grayson says it's time to move forward with these
recommendations.
Governor Manchin says West Virginia is setting the standards
when it comes to mine safety and he says the state will
continue to do so, not only in the mining industry but in
all businesses.
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Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2006 : 8:10:01 PM
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The state Department of Health and Human Resources apologizes
to people affected by the Sago Mine disaster.
A spokesperson for the department says they made a mistake in
issuing the paperwork necessary to get a $3,500 grant ear-
marked to help people coping with the psychological affects
of the tragedy.
That money was supposed to go to the Appalachian Community
Mental Health Center in Elkins. The DHHR says all of the
paperwork wasn't completed until recently, but now the
money has been released. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2006 : 9:07:34 PM
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The families of the men who died at the Sago Mine say
they hope no more lives are lost in the wake of the
disaster.
Bill Chisolm and John Boni were both employees of the
mine.They shot themselves in separate incidents in
mid-August and early September.
In a statement,the families call the suicides another
chapter in a tragedy that started on January 2nd. and
continues today.They're worried other miners may be
experiencing stress as a result of their experiences
at Sago.
" We are concerned about the safety and well-being of
all the Sago miners and the rescue teams who tried to
rescue our loved ones, " they said." The tragedy of
Sago must not cost any more lives. "
They also wrote there's no shame in admitting that the
horror of the disaster continues to be a source of
stress and pain today. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2006 : 9:28:06 PM
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Federal tests show more problems with the air packs used by
hundreds of West Virginia Coal Miners.
The report shows problems with carbon dioxide levels,
breathing pressure and damaged air hoses.
Federal rules say air packs generally have a 10 year life span.
Daily tests should be done on the seal indicators as well as
more in-depth tests every 90 tests. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2006 : 5:15:54 PM
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A mine accident at the Whitetail Mine in Fellowsville,Preston
county,W.V., sent one miner to Preston Memorial Hospital.The
miner was injured by a loose rib roll.
A rib roll is when the wooden rib of a mine comes loose from
the wall or roof inside the mine. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2006 : 6:12:05 PM
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The first ever Miner's Day is a little more than a month
away and organizers in Marion county,W.V. have planned
dozens of events.December 6 is Miner's Day,but events,
which include speakers,exhibits and mining-themed films,
begin as early as November 24.
Organizers have created a website for people to search
for festivities planned in the Fairmont area.
To check out that site go to:
http://www.minersday.org
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Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 8:29:30 PM
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A mine accident at the Whitetail Mine in Fellowsville,
Preston county,W.V.,sent one miner to the hospital,
where he later died.
Inspectors from the state mining office and the U.S.
Mine Safety and Health Administration will investigate
the accident.
Authorities have not released the miner's name. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2006 : 4:54:46 PM
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Mine officials have released the name of the man killed
in an accident at a Preston County coal mine last Friday.
Thomas Channell Jr. age 49,of Randolph Conty was killed
in an accident involving a rib roll at Whitetail Mine.
In these types of accidents,the wooden rib of the mine
comes loose from the wall or roof of the mines,
usually causing rocks to fall.
Funeral arrangements for Channell have not been released yet. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2006 : 7:59:58 PM
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A coal mine explosion in Pennsylvania killed a miner
today,but 4 others escaped.
The blast happened at the R&D Coal Co.,anthracite mine
in Schuylkill County,about 80 miles northwest of
Philadelphia.
State and federal investigators are attempting to
determine the cause.
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Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2006 : 3:40:44 PM
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A miner was killed early this morning at the Double Bonus Deep
Mine in Wyoming county,West Virginia.
A man was killed when he and another miner were doing prep work
on a shuttle car at about 7A.M. The car moved killing one man
and causing serious shoulder and chest injuries to the other.
The mechanic was just about to start repairs when the car,which
was stopped on a downhill slope,began to roll.
The mechanic suffered shoulder and chest injuries and was flown
to a Charleston,W.V. hospital. The shuttle operator was pinned by
the car and suffered significant internal injuries. He was declared
dead at the scene.
The names of the two men have not been released.
The mine is owned by Bluestone Coal Company.
There have been 22 mine-related fatalities in West Virginia this year. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2006 : 07:47:39 AM
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The State Office of Miners' Health and Safety has issued
a new warning to coal mine operators.It says heat damage
to emergency air packs could be more widespread than
originally thought.
The agency is advising underground mine operators and
contractors to make sure air packs aren't exposed to
hydraulic lines,heavy equipment and other heat sources.
The office is also ordering them to remove any air packs
they suspect have been exposed to high temperatures,and
to notify the agency immediately. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2006 : 3:19:37 PM
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The U.S. Department of Energy hosted a national teleconference
on Wednesday to discuss emergency management and how it can
better assist the media when a disaster strikes.
The conference focused mainly on the Sago Mine explosion.
The participants wanted to learn about the communication
problems agencies had in relaying accurate information to
the public.
The national teleconference included over 40 participants
from Washington D.C., to Nevada.
Some of the questions concerning the Sago disaster ranged
from how the local media played a part in relaying the
information to the public to what role International Coal
Group ,the company that owned the mine where 12 men were
killed in January,and state and federal officials played.
The information and answers gained from the teleconference
will go into a larger plan that will help the DOE create
emergency operation plans.
In addition to developing action plans ,the information from
the teleconference will also go to help educate the public
in the event of an emergency. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2006 : 5:04:29 PM
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November 20th. 1968 - all eyes around the nation were
watching West Virginia. That day,consolidation Coal's
number 9 mine exploded. 21 men were able to escape the
explosion,78 men did not.
Sunday,family and friends of the miners came back to
where the tragedy all happened,at the Farmington Mine
Memorial. The memorial,according to some,represents a
sense of closure from what happened almost 4 decades ago.
Since the tragedy,lawmakers passed the Coal Mine and
Safety Act of 1969. It created,for the first time,
regulations on the coal industry. Since then,75 % fewer
miners have died on the job.
" Which set the standards of health and safety in the
underground mines, " said United Mine Workers of
America district vice president Rich Eddy. " Without
that,we've looked at the numbers,we've saved literally
thousands of lives. "
19 of those miners' miners remains were never recovered
after the explosion. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2006 : 4:43:08 PM
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All hope for survivors of a deadly coal mine explosion
in Poland vanished today after rescuers recovered the
bodies of all 17 men who had been missing,bringing the
final death toll to 23.
The men were killed by Tuesday's explosion more than
a kilometre below the surface at the Halemba Mine
in southern Poland.
Six of the bodies were recovered shortly after the
explosion and the remaining ones were located after
rescue efforts resumed overnight,said Zbigniew
Madej,spokesman for the state-run Coal Company.
The search had to be put on hold for most of the day
yesterday when teams encountered high concentrations
of gas that they feared could cause a second explosion.
It resumed shortly before midnight and the rescue teams
found the bodies after digging through hundreds of
metres of rubble for more than 3 hours,Madej said.
In addition to bringing down the rubble,the methane gas
explosion would have produced temperatures of 1000C,
Madej said.
The miners,aged between 21 and 59,were attempting to
retrieve equipment from a shaft closed in March
because of dangerously high gas concentrations.
Polish president Lech Kaczynsk has pledged a full
investigation. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 11/28/2006 : 4:17:32 PM
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State regulators are seeking to discipline 7 Massey Energy
miners for violations that they say contributed to a fatal
fire at a Logan county,W.V. mine in January.
The state wants to suspend or withdrawal the certifications
of 6 employees at the Aracoma Alma No.1 mine,according to a
report released Tuesday by the West Virginia Office of
Miners' Health and Safety.
The recommendations were made by a team that was investigating
the accident.
On January 19th.,Elvis Hatfield and Don Bragg were killed after
a belt caught fire inside the mine. Ten others made it out of
the mine. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2006 : 10:43:35 AM
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A report on January's fatal sago Mine explosion will be
released December 11th.
West Virginia Office of Miners' Health,Safety and Training
Director Ron Wooten said the report will be released in
Buckhannon after Governor Joe Manchin meets with the
families of the 12 miners who died.
Manchin is also expected to meet with Sago Mine owner
International Coal Group before Wooten's office
releases the report.
The explosion occurred early January 2nd. as miners
were preparing to resume production at the mine after
the New Year's holiday.
Two mining crews were in the mine that morning.One
crew escaped,but Randal McCloy Jr. was the lone
survivor from his crew.One miner died in the explosion
and 11 others died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Wooten did not speculate on what may have caused the
explosion.
Early reports said a massive lightning storm may have
sparked methane gas in an abandoned section of the mine.
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Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2006 : 10:47:18 AM
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Recently the home of Randal McCloy Jrs. father was destroyed by
fire. Randal McCloy Sr. was not injured by the fire. He jumped
through a window landing in a briar patch. He sustained minor
scratches from the briars. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2006 : 4:42:03 PM
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Today is Miners' day in West Virginia. The state legislature
declared the day a few months ago,and several communities are
taking time to remember the contributions miners have made and
to thank them. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2006 : 4:22:23 PM
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The state of West Virginia has delayed the release of its
Sago report after meeting with the families of the victims
and hearing their concerns.
The families had a concern over the cause of the explosion.
The report cites lightening was a contributing factor to
to the explosion,but does not say how it made it into the
mine.The families are asking the investigators to take
another look.
Now, the state will go back and try to find an answer to
those questions.
There is no time table set for when the report could be
re-released.A better idea of when it could be made public
will come in the next few days. |
Janette Johnson |
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JanJojo
Star Contributor
West Virginia
USA
41834 Posts |
Posted - 12/19/2006 : 09:59:41 AM
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A man died Sunday in an accident at a Maidsville,West Virginia
coal mine.
The accident happened around 7:30 P.M. Sunday at the Dana
Mining Company Prime No.1 Mine on Lazzelle Union Road.
Officials from the Federal Mine Safety and Health
Administration released the victim's name late Sunday.
John Elliot,26,of Newburg,West Virginia,was a certified
electrician at the mine.According to MSHA officials,
Elliot was traveling to work inside the mine when the
accident occured.
No further details were released.The investigation is ongoing.
This is the 23rd. coal mining death in West Virginia this
year.There have been 47 deaths nationwide,compared to 22
last year. |
Janette Johnson |
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Topic |
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The Miners Trapped In The Coal Mine