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Vol. 71/No. 32      September 3, 2007

 
Unsafe conditions are prevalent in Utah mines
(front page)
 
BY FRANK FORRESTAL  
PRICE, Utah—In face of the disaster at the Crandall Canyon mine, many coal miners and other working people have pointed out that unsafe conditions are widespread in the mines in this state. And the facts prove their concerns.

A feature article in the August 19 Deseret Morning News reports that coal bosses in Utah “consistently and repeatedly break the most essential of safety rules.”

The article notes that federal inspectors cited more than 5,000 safety violations in Utah coal mines since 2004. More than 1,800 were considered “significant and substantial” threats to health and life. Half of these were for “accumulation of combustible materials,” mainly coal dust that could cause fires or explosions.

The Crandall Canyon mine, now the focus of public outrage over mine collapses that have trapped six miners and killed three rescue workers, has had 116 “significant and substantial” violations during this period.

But seven other mines in the state were issued an even higher number of “significant and substantial” citations. At the top of the list is the Aberdeen (Tower) mine, another facility controlled by Robert Murray, with 785 violations, about half of them “significant and substantial.” Since 2004, it received four “imminent danger withdrawal orders,” leading to parts of the mine being closed down.

Federal inspectors also cited Utah coal mines on 156 occasions for “serious negligence.” The Aberdeen mine was again at the top with 42 violations.

“Most violations are repeated not just once but up to dozens of times,” the Deseret Morning News article noted. For example, the Horizon mine was cited 40 times since 2004 for violating approved ventilation plans to control coal dust and methane gas.

This is not surprising when the average fine levied for violations is merely $311.
 
 
Related articles:
Utah coal miners: ‘We want to mine 100 percent safely’
Workers respond to coal bosses’ unsafe productivity drive
Only effective way to enforce safety: organize unions
‘Militant’ has long history in mine struggles in West  
 
 
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