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W.Va. Mine Where Two Died Supports Safety Refreshers
By: Associated Press
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The owner of a West Virginia coal mine where a worker died this week has started comprehensive safety retraining and says it supports Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's stand-down order.
Tennessee-based United Coal owns the Affinity Mine near Sophia, where two workers have died this month.
The death Tuesday of a shuttle car operator prompted Tomblin to call for one-hour safety refreshers at every West Virginia mine.
United Coal vice president for safety Rick Waddell says the loss of two men in unrelated accidents is devastating.
He says employees are being encouraged to engage in constructive, frank discussions about the accidents with senior management.
Waddell says the meetings are getting a positive response from workers. He says United wants to help ease their transition back to work when the mine reopens.