"BECKLEY, W.Va. -- A team of independent investigators has concluded that a corporate culture at Massey Energy put coal production before safety, prompting a collection of major safety infractions that caused the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster.
The investigators, led by longtime safety advocate Davitt McAteer, found that Massey's pattern of longstanding and widespread violations, persistent intimidation of workers, and constant battling with regulators 'can only be accepted where the deviant has become normal.'
McAteer said his team found that Massey ignored well-understood practices -- such as proper ventilation, cleaning up explosive coal dust and maintaining mining equipment -- that can prevent all coal-mine explosions.
'The company ran this mine in a profoundly reckless manner,' McAteer said during a closed-door briefing with families of the 29 miners who died in the April 5, 2010, explosion, according to several people who attended.
McAteer and his team focused most of their criticism on Richmond, Va.-based Massey, but also said state and federal regulators are to blame for not conducting adequate inspections or taking tougher enforcement actions to clean up the Upper Big Branch operation."
Ken Ward Jr. reports for the Charleston Gazette May 19, 2011.
SEE ALSO:
"Report on Deadly W.Va. Mine Blast Castigates Massey for Safety Lapses" (PBS Newshour)
"Massey Energy Caused Blast, Report Says" (Mother Jones)
"UBB Victim's Sister: 'This Is a Crime' (video)" (Charleston Gazette)
"Report Faults Mine Owner for Explosion That Killed 29" (New York Times)
"Study Faults Owner in W.Va. Mine Explosion" (AP)
"Report Blames Massey For W.Va. Mine Explosion" (USA TODAY)
"Mine Probe Faults Massey" (Wall St. Journal)
Editorial: "The Truth About Upper Big Branch" (New York Times)
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