Revised Penalty System Won't Address Root Causes of Accidents Claims Memo

摘要

The head of MSHA's Coal Mine Safety Division, who will soon be heading MSHA's District 5, believes that even a revised civil penalty system will not stem mine accidents, since it does not get at the root causes of injury and death in the mining industry. In a memo obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Coal Division-head Ray McKumey said MSHA "may have missed the target" bringing unsafe mine operators into compliance. McKumey believes that in spite of all the increases in inspections and manpower, mine accidents are likely to occur, because "root causes of violations and accidents are likely to go uncorrected and are destined to be repeated."