While browsing FDL I came across this story Coal Mine Disaster: An Act of God, But NEVER an Act of Greedy Corporations
It gives a good background of the disaster that is Bob Murray. However the real gem was the link to a story from The Pump Handle which is an occupational safety and health blog which bills itself as A water cooler for the public health crowd.
The story is called Lessons from Sago at Crandall Canyon, or Not?
The author is listed as CMonforton. I'm guessing its this Celeste Monforton
Celeste Monforton
Celeste Monforton, MPH is a Research Associate at The George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services. Ms. Monforton worked at the US Department of Labor’s OSHA (1991-1995) as a policy analyst, and at MSHA (1996-2001) as special assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Labor. Her research interests include regulatory policy and its affect on implementing timely protection for workers from occupational health hazards. Most recently, Celeste served with J. Davitt McAteer on a special investigation of the January 2006
So this is obviously somebody who knows what she is talking about. Probably one of those folks who Mr. Murray wants you to ignore.
Here are the questions she recommends the media start asking.
For any reporters out there who may be stuck on questions to ask Mr. Murray or MSHA, I’ll gladly donate these to your efforts:
- Do you engage in retreat mining at Crandall Canyon? How do you know with such certainty that the disaster is unrelated to the retreat mining?
- Where the men working this hoot-owl shift equipped with electronic tracking devices, and if so, is this why you are so certain you know their exact location?
- What type of post-accident communication system (such as a secondary phone) was installed at the mine, as required by the MINER Act?
- When you refer to a "chamber" where the miners might be located, is this a refuge chamber installed in the mine?
- Is the seismic equipment being transported to the mine by the Pentagon, the same equipment described in MSHA’s June 2007 internal review of the Sago disaster as "obsolete" and a device that has "never located a trapped miner." Or, is this new, improved equipment or a device on loan from another agency?
She also has written a piece on the rescue teams that have been deployed called Who are the mine rescuers?
Here are a few lines from that article.
Mr. Robert Murray, of Murray Energy and operator of the Crandall Canyon coal mine, reported that 16 mine rescue teams are assembled near the site. One is reported to be from another coal mine operated by Rocky Mountain Power Company, but I haven’t found information yet on the names of the other teams. In the U.S. today, there are 187 mine rescue teams registered with MSHA–103 specializing in coal mining and the balance trained in metal and non-metal mine rescue. Of the rescue teams trainined for coal mines, 76 are listed as company-supported teams, 20 are sponsored by State agencies, two are MSHA teams, and the rest have a mixture of funding-support. The MSHA data shows that seven teams are located in Utah, including two teams from other coal mines in Huntington.
Obviously there is not proof of any wrongdoing yet. I also feel a little guilty about writing on this topic while people are still stuck inside. However,given the nutty behavior of Mr. Murray, and his impeccable right wing credentials, I have to believe something isn't Kosher there.