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MSHA News Release: [10/19/2004]
Contact Name: Eryn Witcher
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
Contact Name: Suzy
Bohnert
Phone Number: (202) 693-9420
MSHA, State of West Virginia Join Forces
To Enhance Mine Safety and Health
BECKLEY, W.Va—The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine
Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today joined forces with the West
Virginia Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training to improve miner
safety and health in the state of West Virginia by targeting and reducing
fatal accidents and injuries.
Both Dave D. Lauriski, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and
health, and Doug Conaway, director of the West Virginia Office of Miners'
Health Safety and Training, announced this joint effort today at the National
Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beckley, W. Va.
“MSHA is proud to align with the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health
Safety and Training in addressing the cause of mining fatalities and injuries
in this state and this region,” said Lauriski. “Although overall mining fatalities
have decreased for three consecutive years nationwide, MSHA is greatly concerned
with any incident that results in death or injury and wants to work cooperatively
with state officials to coordinate our efforts, resources and energy in the
interest of sending every West Virginia miner home safe and healthy after
each shift.”
“The West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training is committed
to reversing this trend of increased accidents that we have seen this year
in our state,” said Conaway. “This cooperative effort with the Mine Safety
and Health Administration gives us an excellent opportunity to increase awareness
and provide information to every miner and mine operator. Each member of
the West Virginia mining community must evaluate and review their contribution
to improving our mine safety efforts.”
The two organizations will combine efforts to reach out to industry and
labor for input on ideas to increase awareness of mining hazards in the workplace,
to solicit best practices from organizations within the industry for alleviating
hazards and to call attention to problems that “near-miss” incidents can
reveal in the workplace.
The two entities kicked off the new partnership with a series of phone calls
Tuesday to mine operators and union representatives to share concerns about
the kinds of accidents occurring in West Virginia.
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