Public News Service-WV
April 29, 2010
Miners Claim Massey Safety Priority is "The Big Lie"
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A member of the Massey Energy board of directors says the charge that the company trades safety for profit is "the big lie" being told by unions and trial lawyers. But in the month since 29 miners died in Massey's Upper Big Branch mine, dozens of current and former company employees have criticized the company in the press and in testimony to Congress.
Many have refused to give their names, but some, like former Massey miner Chuck Nelson of Glen Daniel, are speaking publicly. Nelson worked at six different Massey mines over seven years, and he says safety practices were the same in all of them.
"They broke every law in the book. They kept their men in a dead run to produce as much coal as they could. It was always production first, and safety, I would rate it way down the line."
Mine safety officials say methane probably played a part in the Upper Big Branch explosion. Nelson claims he was regularly told to dismantle ventilation controls used to reduce methane concentrations.
"Every day, first thing that we did was we destroyed our ventilation system by taking our line curtain down, what directs the air flow up to the miner. If you have a concentration of methane, that's what that air's for."
Some miners say Massey punishes those who speak up about safety issues, which is why they refuse to give their names when speaking to reporters. Nelson confirms what they say.
"Workers not allowed to complain about safety issues? That's a very accurate statement. If they do speak out, there will be repercussions took against them."
Massey spokesmen insist the company emphasizes safety and follows all regulations, but figures show that in the last decade, the company has had more than twice as many fatal accidents as any other mine operator. Massey has not responded specifically to Nelson's allegations.
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West Virginia News Service reporter first spoke to Nelson about the breaking of black lung rules on Dec. 9, 2009. A copy of that story is available at
www.publicnewsservice.org.
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