How to prevent coal mining deaths?
Posted by Moonage on 02 Feb 2006 | Tagged as: Energy Policy
Here’s today’s headline:
Governor wants W.Va. mines shut for safety checks
By Lawrence Messina
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gov. Joe Manchin called for all coal companies in West Virginia to shut down for safety checks after two more mine workers were killed yesterday in separate accidents.While Manchin’s call was voluntary, an industry group that represents most of the state’s coal producers said its members would comply. The governor also ordered mine inspections speeded up so that all 544 of the state’s surface and underground mines are examined by regulators as soon as possible.
"We’re going to check for unsafe conditions, and we’re going to correct any unsafe conditions before we mine another lump of coal," Manchin said.
Let’s go back a little, shall we?
- From 1880 to 1910, mine explosions and other accidents claimed thousands of victims. The deadliest year in U.S. coal mining history was 1907, when 3,242 deaths occurred. That year, America’s worst mine explosion ever killed 358 people near Monongah, WV.
- Total deaths in all types of U.S. mining, which had averaged 1,500 or more during earlier decades, decreased on average during the 1990’s, to under 100 and reached a record low of 80 in 1998. There were 87 mining fatalities in 1999. The average annual injuries to miners have also decreased steadily.
Or, we can look at it this way:
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In simpler terms, that’s a total of 36,360 deaths and 2,444,180 injuries BEFORE the year 2000. That doesn’t even include the black lung cases or other people killed by mining accidents. 2005 doesn’t even rank in the top 50 years in deaths. West Virginia’s one of those hardest hit by coal mining accidents in the past. Surely Governor Manchin knows that.
Now, the reason coal mining deaths decreased sharply during the 80’s and 90’s is partly the result of safer mining practices, but in large part it was because of the decline in coal demand leading to a huge decline in coal mining. Given the sudden resurgence in coal demand, look for a sudden increase in coal mining deaths. And do understand this folks, coal mining is incredibly risky even with the technology we have today. It just is. Governor Manchin can promote mine safety all he wants, but until he promotes an alternative to mines, the deaths will just continue. Guaranteed.
Total deaths from nuclear energy in the US to date? 0.
If people don’t want to deal with all the coal mining deaths, PROMOTE NUCLEAR ENERGY AND GET OUT OF THE MINES! People whine about how dangerous nuclear energy is, but the facts just don’t back them up at all.
- Technorati coal mining, nuclear energy
3 Comments »
on 04 Feb 2006 at 4:55 pm 1.Jim Hopf said …
You’re right about all the deaths and other effects (e.g. black lung) of coal mining, but those effects are nothing compared to those associated with coal plant pollution.
According to EPA, coal plant emissions cause ~25,000 premature deaths annually, in the US alone. That’s roughly a million people over the 40-year period that nuclear has been around. They also estimate ~$100 billion in indirect economic costs from those emissions. Coal plants are also the leading single cause of global warming.
As for nuclear, as you said, it has never had any measurable impact on public health or the environment over its entire ~40-year history. Nuclear also does not contribute to global warming.
Thus, the record, over the last ~40 years, is ~1 million deaths for coal vs. zero for nuclear. That along with global warming. Pretty profound….
on 04 Feb 2006 at 11:02 pm 2.Moonage
said …
The facts are pretty overwhelming on several angles. The question I have is why are people still protesting nuclear? I mean, people even protested the probe to Pluto because it was nuclear. Things have changed a lot since “The China Syndrome” ( the most profound Hollywood statement of stupidity ever made ). Bush has put a lot of new money into nuclear, hopefully it will bear fruit very soon!
on 17 Aug 2007 at 10:27 am 3.Moonage Political Webdream
said …
Yet another mining disaster gets much worse…
For two weeks, six miners have either been trapped in a mine in Utah, or they are by now most likely dead. Last night, while trying to get to those miners, three more died. Shortly after another mining disaster in West Virginia a year and half ago, I …