Could the government prevent coal mine accidents?

[BlackVelvet04]

I know they cite the mines for violations but do they ever enforce the regulations? Ever heard of the government shutting a mine down? I haven't.

Years ago my husband's job took us to a small coal mining town in VA. In order to get a job I ended up working for the Bureau of Mines. The inspectors were constantly citing a mine for violations but I never heard of one being shut down until the violations were corrected.

As a side note: One my very first day a report came across my desk of an 18 year old on his first day of the job who had his arm ripped off at the shoulder by a machine he had not been properly trained to use.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Of course not. That's a very unrealistic expectation.

The government can (and should) help to ensure a certain level of safety in mines reducing accidents to a hopefully very small amount; but of course it cannot prevent accidents.

[SoonerPride]

3. Like bridge collapses, when is an "accident" a forseeable outcome of neglect?

Yes, government can prevent - as in reduce greatly the likelihood and frequency of - collapses.

Eliminate entirely? Probably not.

But prevent them?

Yes, indeedy.

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. To "prevent" means to "eliminate entirely"; or in this case, "to keep from happening"

A basic understanding of physics and engineering (and some economics) will also help in understanding why accidents are IMPOSSIBLE to prevent by anyone or anything.

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. There is a world of difference...

... between accidents and murder-by-neglect.

Accidents happen when you take reasonable safety precautions, fix problems when they are found, keep everything in good repair, have a plan for when something goes wrong and then follow that plan.

Murder-by-neglect happens when you do not take reasonable safety precautions, do not fix problems when they are found, do not keep things in good repair and either do not follow your emergency plan or do not have one in the first place.

What happened in Minnesota was murder-by-neglect, according to all of the news reports I've seen. The state and federal governments had known for years that the bridge was dangerous. That the bridge failed was no accident.

[BlackVelvet04]

5. Maybe if they shut some mines down

for safety violations it would get the owners attention.

[napi21]

Probably not PREVENT them, but Canada seems to have initiated safety precautions

that prevent death!

[MiniMe]

4. You beat me to it

There will always be accidents, and deaths. It is the nature of the job. However, there is a lot of negligence by the mine owners, and taking the cheap way out to keep the profits up. That causes accidents too, and those are the accidents that are preventable.

[tech3149]

10. Historically, union mines have a much higher level of saftey

It's a balance between the operators and the workers. The workers see the problems up close and personal. If they don't have some collective force, as in a union or shared ownership, the operators can push for performance without any serious balancing power. Anyone who goes down in a mine knows the risk, but if you don't have the power and voice to point out the problems, that risk increases exponentially.

My GF was the supervisor for a mine and the hardest part of the job was keeping the workers safe and keeping the bosses happy. I think if H. C. Frick knew he could be crushed into a red splotch by trying to get another ton a day, he'd probably given up a few million to make sure he got out alive.

[proud patriot]

9. that's because they are union mines and require

supplies of water and oxegen stashes all over the mine . So in case
a collapse happens the miners can wait out a rescue .

[napi21]

2. Probably not PREVENT them, but Canada seems to have initiated safety precautions

that prevent death!

[Ian David]

7. How many injuries are there at wind and solar plants? I'm just wondering. n/t

[Lint Head]

11. Yes. By promoting alternative sources of energy.

:dem: