Coal mining fatalities up sharply as Trump cuts safety regulations, cripples MSHA

[babylonsister]

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/11/24/1717298/-Coal-mining-fatalities-up-sharply-as-Trump-cuts-safety-regulations-cripples-MSHA


Coal mining fatalities up sharply as Trump cuts safety regulations, cripples MSHA
By Mark Sumner
Friday Nov 24, 2017 · 1:01 PM EST


No matter what the signs say, Donald Trump does not “dig coal.” Trump may do favors for coal mine owners, but the actual digging is left to the nation’s small number of coal miners. Since Trump took office, the number of mining jobs has gone up. But it hasn’t doubled, no matter what lies Scott Pruitt tries to spread. Instead, jobs in mining increased from about 50,300 when Trump took office, to 51,900 in October—an increase of about 3 percent.

But something else has gone up much faster.

Deaths in U.S. coal mines this year have surged ahead of last year's, and federal safety officials say workers who are new to a mine have been especially vulnerable to fatal accidents.

Mining deaths at this time last year numbered 7. This year, there have already been 14 deaths. That’s a 100 percent increase in deaths for a 3 percent jump in jobs. This may not be the deal coal miners were hoping Trump would deliver.

2016 was a record low year, but it represented the success of a number of processes and procedures put in place by the Mine Safety and Health Administration under President Obama that generated a downward trend. in 2015, the number of mining jobs was 69,000—a full 30 percent higher than today—but the number of deaths across the whole year was 12.

Under Trump, the MSHA’s ability to issue citations has been reduced. And after leaving the leadership of the department open for most of the year, Trump has finally filled the slot—with a coal exec from a mine with a horrible safety record.

Zatezalo will bring an unconventional perspective to the Mine Health and Safety Administration (MSHA) after serving as a top executive at a company hit with two “pattern of violations” citations by the agency.

Mines that had a “pattern of violations” were those on the brink of being closed for repeat, serious safety violations. All of which suggests that Trump needs a new motto:

Trump Digs Graves.

[yardwork]

1. There won't be anybody but billionaires left to vote for Trump at this rate.

He's killing off his working class base pretty quickly.

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[Beartracks]

3. "Mine jobs increase to provide coal to middle-class taxpayers' stockings this Christmas"

=========

[lame54]

4. If trump kills the miners then replaces them...

That's twice as many coal jobs created

Always winning

[DavidDvorkin]

5. I used to work for MSHA

They've been crippled by GOP administrations before, but this sounds much worse.

[juxtaposed]

17. it's getting worse

[Vinca]

6. This is what deregulation does. A company makes a few bucks more and workers die.

[Kleveland]

7. And this comes as a surprise to who?

He doesn't care about miners.

He got their vote, and at this rate, if we have another election, the dead ones won't be missed.

[DFW]

8. And if the next election were held tomorrow, they'd vote for him again

He hasn't exactly increased the education budget, either.

[iluvtennis]

9. Guess the miners are so proud and pleased they voted for the con man

[kacekwl]

18. Why the sarcasm tag ? You are correct in thinking

they would vote for the moron again. Regulations are for sissy snowflake liberals.

[keithbvadu2]

10. Trump's new coal mining jobs - morticians

[Fred Sanders]

12. Do not tell Pruitt who may add those new jobs to his fake job numbers.

[Fred Sanders]

11. On the bright side funeral home business is up in coal country. And health $ care for lung disease.

[Doitnow]

13. There must be a huuuuge no. of people in this country that feel like the Mad Cat!!!

[maddiemom]

14. But Trump promised them more jobs, not better safety, right?

[juxtaposed]

15. Are you union or non-union? If you are non-union you are more likely to die in a mine

than a union mine worker..
This is why Don Blankenship should have been put to death for what he did!!!
Still have my MSHA Card and still waiting for Sean Hannity and Blankenship to be locked up.. Hannity was a guest speaker here!!

read this also
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Big_Branch_Mine_disaster




People who run coal mines have a fundamental obligation to be honest with mine regulators," said Booth Goodwin, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, in announcing the guilty plea of a former superintendent of the Upper Big Branch Mine, Gary May, who confessed to conspiring to impede the Mine Safety and Health Administration's enforcement efforts.

He added, "When mine operators resort to tricks and deceit to keep government officials in the dark, our mine safety system unravels and miners are put in harm's way." May owned up to giving advance warning of inspections and concealing violations including "poor airflow in the mine; piles of loose, combustible coal; and scarcities of rock dust, which prevents mine explosions." When the plea was announced, May faced up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine

[juxtaposed]

16. just 5 fucking years...........