As of the beginning of August, 10 coal miner deaths had been reported around the country, five of which occurred in West Virginia mines. This number has already passed the record low of eight coal miner fatalities that occurred in 2016. The spike in fatalities has the...
Mine Accidents
Increased coal production is accompanied by greater risk
Coal miners in West Virginia and elsewhere are seeing production in the industry increase. However, along with increased production, miners are also experiencing an increased number of serious workplace injuries on the job, including five fatalities in the state from...
Mining states passing laws to reduce mandatory inspections
The coal industry in West Virginia has been hit particularly hard due to a slowdown in mining. As a result, lawmakers in the state considered scaling back the number of mine inspections. While they backed off due to criticism, other Appalachian coal states such as...
Miner killed at Gateway Eagle Mine
The state's Office of Miners Health, Safety and Training is investigating the death of Rodney S. Osborne, 32, of Artie. The mine is shut down until investigation is completed. The accident occurred Tuesday morning, June 15 at Gateway Eagle Mine in Boone County....
What goes wrong in the mines, and what you can do
Mining has been described as the backbone of West Virginia's economy, but we know miners pay a terrible price in injuries, disease, and deaths.The most common injuries occurring in the mines affect a person's lungs. Lung diseases include pneumoconiosis, which we know...