BYRD’S EYE VIEW: Moving Mine Safety Forward
From the desk of U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-WV
Washington, DC (HNN) -- Throughout the year, West Virginians have pressed for answers as to why 19 of our coal miners have been killed on the job this year. We all want to know what happened, why, and how we can prevent future tragedies.
While the investigations are continuing, there are certain facts that have come to light about these deadly incidents.
First, the oxygen that miners carry on their belts provides only about an hour of air. That’s not enough to last until a rescue team arrives. Emergency supplies of oxygen should be stored inside the mines so trapped miners can survive until rescue teams arrive.
Second, there is no widely used technology to communicate with miners who are trapped underground. The technology exists, but not enough coal mines take advantage of it. There must be a mandate that communications technology be installed without delay.
Third, rescue teams, while incredibly brave, are not always familiar with a particular coal mine. In an emergency, those teams should know every turn and every tunnel of the mine involved. Time is a precious commodity during a rescue. A working knowledge of a mine where an explosion has occurred is vitally important to any rescue effort.
I am proud to report that the Senate has approved legislation providing solutions to these widely accepted facts learned from this year’s deadly mining incidents. The Senate legislation, called the MINER Act, will help to save lives and prevent future mine tragedies.
The MINER Act, which Senator Rockefeller and I helped to write, would require coal operators to submit plans detailing their mines’ use of the most current communications, tracking, and breathing apparatus technologies.
The Act would require coal mines to have continuously updated emergency response plans and two experienced rescue teams capable of a one-hour response time. The legislation toughens penalties for mine safety violations and gives the federal government the power to shut down a mine that fails to follow the safety laws.
The MINER Act is not the only step that Congress should take to improve mine safety, but it is a major step forward. This legislation would save more coal mining families the heartache of losing their loved ones in a mining disaster. We have a moral obligation to do everything we can to put an end to the safety crises in our nation’s mines. The MINER Act is the best hope to begin fixing obvious problems that, if left unaddressed, would continue to cost lives.