美國(guó)51000名煤礦工人成為了新冠病毒傳播的特殊渠道,。
每天,礦工們會(huì)先前往所謂的“更衣室”報(bào)到,。在那里,,他們擠在一起換衣服,然后被領(lǐng)進(jìn)密閉電梯,,下到800英尺深的地下,。等下了礦,礦工們還要緊挨著對(duì)坐在擁擠的礦車?yán)?,前往工作地點(diǎn),。
在礦井中,空氣的流動(dòng)是單向的:如果有人打了個(gè)噴嚏,,處在下風(fēng)區(qū)的所有人都能感受到,。而機(jī)械的缺乏則意味著,人們不得不成群結(jié)隊(duì)地搬運(yùn)安裝東西,;手動(dòng)操作設(shè)備司更是司空見慣,。收工后工人們會(huì)再坐上礦車,進(jìn)入電梯,,更糟的是:還要使用公共淋浴,。
一個(gè)數(shù)字是:每10名礦工中就有一人患有黑肺病,更有一些人認(rèn)為這個(gè)數(shù)字接近20%,。也就是說,,一旦礦工感染了新冠病毒,他們將更容易出現(xiàn)并發(fā)癥,,面臨更大的生命危險(xiǎn),。
3月中旬,隨著新冠病毒在美國(guó)迅速蔓延,,總統(tǒng)特朗普發(fā)布了一份指南,,著重強(qiáng)調(diào)了關(guān)鍵基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施行業(yè)勞動(dòng)者的重要性,,認(rèn)為這些專業(yè)人士對(duì)美國(guó)而言就如同生命線般至關(guān)重要的存在??偨y(tǒng)建議,,無論日后形勢(shì)多么嚴(yán)峻,某些群體仍需艱難前行,,常常需要為了國(guó)家利益而犧牲個(gè)人健康和安全,,他們包括:醫(yī)護(hù)人員、水務(wù)部門,、食品制造商和煤礦工人,。
“煤炭如此重要,(停工)這種做法令人難以置信,。我們必須要確保電力穩(wěn)定流入千家萬戶?!蔽骶S吉尼亞州州長(zhǎng)吉姆·賈斯特說,,他是一位共和黨人,也是煤礦業(yè)的一位億萬富翁,。他在賓夕法尼亞州州長(zhǎng)湯姆·沃爾夫下令暫時(shí)關(guān)閉該州煤礦的次日做出了上述表態(tài),,賈斯特稱這項(xiàng)舉措是“政治性的”。
第二天,,沃爾夫政府重新考慮了立場(chǎng),,將煤礦工人列入“必要”清單。
然而事實(shí)是,,煤電還不到美國(guó)總用電量的四分之一,,而且這一比例正在迅速下降:去年消費(fèi)量下降了約18%,降至1975年以來的最低水平,。由于反常的暖冬以及對(duì)煤炭?jī)?chǔ)備使用量的減少,,全美目前擁有大量煤炭?jī)?chǔ)備。隨著石油和天然氣價(jià)格的下降,,煤炭如今已成為最昂貴的化石燃料,。
“聽著,因?yàn)槲业募亦l(xiāng),,我相信煤是必需品,。煤對(duì)于我們每天的電力供給和美好生活至關(guān)重要?!蔽鞲ゼ醽啽娮h院民主黨代表邁克·卡普托說,。“但我更認(rèn)為,,煤礦里最寶貴的資源是煤礦工人,,而不是煤炭,。所以我很擔(dān)心,我非常擔(dān)心,?!?/p>
卡普托曾在一個(gè)地下煤礦工作了22年,后來開始為美國(guó)礦工聯(lián)合會(huì)工作,,他代表的是這個(gè)產(chǎn)煤大州中部的一個(gè)北部地區(qū),。
“由于煤炭是我們的主導(dǎo)產(chǎn)業(yè),所以西弗吉尼亞州人面臨著更高的風(fēng)險(xiǎn),,更易受到感染,。每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該為此擔(dān)憂?!彼f,,“我并非主張關(guān)閉一切。我主張的是,,聯(lián)邦政府應(yīng)該出臺(tái)保護(hù)措施,。”
卡普托說,,負(fù)責(zé)保護(hù)礦工生命的美國(guó)勞工部下屬機(jī)構(gòu)——礦山安全與健康管理局 “正在玩忽職守”,。
開采煤礦本身就是高風(fēng)險(xiǎn)作業(yè)——小失誤往往會(huì)造成致命后果??ㄆ胀姓f,,這項(xiàng)工作原本就沒有犯錯(cuò)的余地,再加上這種新型致命疾病的威脅,,就更加劇了這份工作的危險(xiǎn)性,。其實(shí)聯(lián)邦推出任何形式的指導(dǎo)意見或監(jiān)管措施都將受到歡迎。
美國(guó)礦工聯(lián)合會(huì)發(fā)言人菲爾·史密斯說:“除了說幾句沒什么實(shí)際意義的話,,礦山安全與健康管理局對(duì)此沒有任何反應(yīng),。”
雖然美國(guó)礦工聯(lián)合會(huì)已經(jīng)在他們代表的礦場(chǎng)中強(qiáng)制執(zhí)行錯(cuò)峰作業(yè)和其他安全措施,,但他仍擔(dān)心,,那些未加入工會(huì)的礦場(chǎng)沒有針對(duì)新冠病毒而采取適當(dāng)措施。
“我們已經(jīng)要求他們發(fā)布專門的指導(dǎo)意見,,以用于指導(dǎo)全美所有礦場(chǎng),,但他們什么都沒有做。如果礦山安全與健康管理局不發(fā)布明確的指導(dǎo)意見,,礦工就無法得到真保護(hù),。”史密斯說。
聯(lián)合會(huì)主席塞西爾·羅伯茨在3月底曾致信礦山安全與健康管理局局長(zhǎng)戴維·扎塔扎羅,,要求實(shí)施保護(hù)礦工安全的一系列措施,。包括提供N95口罩及其它個(gè)人防護(hù)設(shè)備、不同班次之間進(jìn)行設(shè)備消毒,、限制同一電梯和礦車搭載的礦工數(shù)量等,。史密斯說,這封信沒有得到回應(yīng),。
卡普托說,,該局完全有權(quán)力制訂可強(qiáng)制執(zhí)行的臨時(shí)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)?!氨緛碓谧铋_始,,礦山安全與健康管理局就應(yīng)該出臺(tái)防護(hù)措施,全國(guó)的每一家煤炭公司都應(yīng)該被告知需要采取什么措施來維持運(yùn)營(yíng),?!笨ㄆ胀姓f,“這些措施都應(yīng)該是強(qiáng)制性的,,而不僅僅是建議,。”
在發(fā)給《財(cái)富》雜志的一封電子郵件中,,美國(guó)勞工部發(fā)言人勞拉·麥金尼斯表示,礦山安全與健康管理局已經(jīng)發(fā)布了一系列自愿遵守的指導(dǎo)方針,,并將繼續(xù)履行強(qiáng)制性檢查和事故審查等基本職能,。他們還將就預(yù)防新冠病毒提供咨詢意見,按照自愿的原則,。
在特朗普?qǐng)?zhí)政期間,,礦山安全與健康管理局的監(jiān)管權(quán)被大大削弱。該機(jī)構(gòu)曾在沒有固定局長(zhǎng)的情況下運(yùn)行了近一年的時(shí)間后,,特朗普才提名扎塔扎羅擔(dān)任局長(zhǎng),,他是一位煤礦業(yè)退休高管,曾管理西弗吉尼亞州的Rhino East Eagle煤礦,。自2000年以來,,該礦因?yàn)?62起工作場(chǎng)所安全或健康違規(guī)事件而被罰款210多萬美元。扎塔扎羅在位期間,,他的礦場(chǎng)被礦山安全與健康管理局列為“潛在重復(fù)違規(guī)”的礦井,,指的是“那些礦井中反復(fù)出現(xiàn)嚴(yán)重違反強(qiáng)制性健康和安全標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的礦井經(jīng)營(yíng)者”。
“礦山安全與健康管理局的管理者必須致力于捍衛(wèi)礦工的利益,,這點(diǎn)非常關(guān)鍵,,十分關(guān)鍵?!眳⒆h員帕蒂·默里在扎特扎羅的提名最終確認(rèn)前向記者表示,,“但特朗普總統(tǒng)提名的人選不是工人健康和安全的捍衛(wèi)者,,而是該行業(yè)最嚴(yán)重的違規(guī)者之一?!?/p>
扎特扎羅向參議院表示了懊悔:“我們被列為“潛在重復(fù)違規(guī)”礦的事情很不光彩,。我沒有試圖阻止這件事。我覺得,,如果你工作沒有做好,,那么我們就應(yīng)該像成年人一樣,面對(duì)現(xiàn)實(shí),?!彼f,“順便說一句,,我換掉了那屆管理層,,因?yàn)槲覍?duì)他們的表現(xiàn)不太滿意?!?/p>
在扎特扎羅的監(jiān)督下,,礦山安全與健康管理局向十分傾向于“合規(guī)援助”,這是喬治·W·布什執(zhí)政期間推廣的一個(gè)項(xiàng)目,。具體指的是,,合規(guī)檢查助理會(huì)實(shí)地檢查礦場(chǎng),但無權(quán)簽發(fā)任何有強(qiáng)制力的罰款或罰單,,只能提出建議,。過去,還允許礦場(chǎng)代表陪同合規(guī)檢查助理,,但現(xiàn)在不行了,。
礦山安全與健康管理局每年仍然對(duì)所有地下礦進(jìn)行四次正式檢查,對(duì)地面礦進(jìn)行兩次檢查,。特朗普政府提議,,將該機(jī)構(gòu)2021財(cái)年的執(zhí)行預(yù)算削減約200萬美元。
與此同時(shí),,史密斯則希望國(guó)會(huì)在制定第四輪新冠病毒疫情經(jīng)濟(jì)刺激政策時(shí),,可以考慮一下煤礦工人。
“人們需要認(rèn)識(shí)到,,煤礦工人正置生命于危險(xiǎn)之中,。”他表示,,“如果政府說他們是必不可少的,,那么似乎就該做點(diǎn)什么以作補(bǔ)償。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Agatha
美國(guó)51000名煤礦工人成為了新冠病毒傳播的特殊渠道,。
每天,,礦工們會(huì)先前往所謂的“更衣室”報(bào)到。在那里,,他們擠在一起換衣服,,然后被領(lǐng)進(jìn)密閉電梯,下到800英尺深的地下,。等下了礦,,礦工們還要緊挨著對(duì)坐在擁擠的礦車?yán)铮巴ぷ鞯攸c(diǎn),。
在礦井中,,空氣的流動(dòng)是單向的:如果有人打了個(gè)噴嚏,處在下風(fēng)區(qū)的所有人都能感受到,。而機(jī)械的缺乏則意味著,,人們不得不成群結(jié)隊(duì)地搬運(yùn)安裝東西;手動(dòng)操作設(shè)備司更是司空見慣,。收工后工人們會(huì)再坐上礦車,,進(jìn)入電梯,更糟的是:還要使用公共淋浴,。
一個(gè)數(shù)字是:每10名礦工中就有一人患有黑肺病,,更有一些人認(rèn)為這個(gè)數(shù)字接近20%。也就是說,,一旦礦工感染了新冠病毒,,他們將更容易出現(xiàn)并發(fā)癥,面臨更大的生命危險(xiǎn),。
3月中旬,隨著新冠病毒在美國(guó)迅速蔓延,,總統(tǒng)特朗普發(fā)布了一份指南,,著重強(qiáng)調(diào)了關(guān)鍵基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施行業(yè)勞動(dòng)者的重要性,認(rèn)為這些專業(yè)人士對(duì)美國(guó)而言就如同生命線般至關(guān)重要的存在,??偨y(tǒng)建議,無論日后形勢(shì)多么嚴(yán)峻,,某些群體仍需艱難前行,,常常需要為了國(guó)家利益而犧牲個(gè)人健康和安全,他們包括:醫(yī)護(hù)人員,、水務(wù)部門,、食品制造商和煤礦工人。
“煤炭如此重要,(停工)這種做法令人難以置信,。我們必須要確保電力穩(wěn)定流入千家萬戶,。”西維吉尼亞州州長(zhǎng)吉姆·賈斯特說,,他是一位共和黨人,,也是煤礦業(yè)的一位億萬富翁。他在賓夕法尼亞州州長(zhǎng)湯姆·沃爾夫下令暫時(shí)關(guān)閉該州煤礦的次日做出了上述表態(tài),,賈斯特稱這項(xiàng)舉措是“政治性的”,。
第二天,沃爾夫政府重新考慮了立場(chǎng),,將煤礦工人列入“必要”清單,。
然而事實(shí)是,煤電還不到美國(guó)總用電量的四分之一,,而且這一比例正在迅速下降:去年消費(fèi)量下降了約18%,,降至1975年以來的最低水平。由于反常的暖冬以及對(duì)煤炭?jī)?chǔ)備使用量的減少,,全美目前擁有大量煤炭?jī)?chǔ)備,。隨著石油和天然氣價(jià)格的下降,煤炭如今已成為最昂貴的化石燃料,。
“聽著,,因?yàn)槲业募亦l(xiāng),我相信煤是必需品,。煤對(duì)于我們每天的電力供給和美好生活至關(guān)重要,。”西弗吉尼亞眾議院民主黨代表邁克·卡普托說,?!暗腋J(rèn)為,煤礦里最寶貴的資源是煤礦工人,,而不是煤炭,。所以我很擔(dān)心,我非常擔(dān)心,?!?/p>
卡普托曾在一個(gè)地下煤礦工作了22年,后來開始為美國(guó)礦工聯(lián)合會(huì)工作,,他代表的是這個(gè)產(chǎn)煤大州中部的一個(gè)北部地區(qū),。
“由于煤炭是我們的主導(dǎo)產(chǎn)業(yè),所以西弗吉尼亞州人面臨著更高的風(fēng)險(xiǎn),,更易受到感染,。每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該為此擔(dān)憂,。”他說,,“我并非主張關(guān)閉一切,。我主張的是,聯(lián)邦政府應(yīng)該出臺(tái)保護(hù)措施,?!?/p>
卡普托說,負(fù)責(zé)保護(hù)礦工生命的美國(guó)勞工部下屬機(jī)構(gòu)——礦山安全與健康管理局 “正在玩忽職守”,。
開采煤礦本身就是高風(fēng)險(xiǎn)作業(yè)——小失誤往往會(huì)造成致命后果,。卡普托說,,這項(xiàng)工作原本就沒有犯錯(cuò)的余地,,再加上這種新型致命疾病的威脅,就更加劇了這份工作的危險(xiǎn)性,。其實(shí)聯(lián)邦推出任何形式的指導(dǎo)意見或監(jiān)管措施都將受到歡迎,。
美國(guó)礦工聯(lián)合會(huì)發(fā)言人菲爾·史密斯說:“除了說幾句沒什么實(shí)際意義的話,礦山安全與健康管理局對(duì)此沒有任何反應(yīng),?!?/p>
雖然美國(guó)礦工聯(lián)合會(huì)已經(jīng)在他們代表的礦場(chǎng)中強(qiáng)制執(zhí)行錯(cuò)峰作業(yè)和其他安全措施,但他仍擔(dān)心,,那些未加入工會(huì)的礦場(chǎng)沒有針對(duì)新冠病毒而采取適當(dāng)措施,。
“我們已經(jīng)要求他們發(fā)布專門的指導(dǎo)意見,以用于指導(dǎo)全美所有礦場(chǎng),,但他們什么都沒有做,。如果礦山安全與健康管理局不發(fā)布明確的指導(dǎo)意見,礦工就無法得到真保護(hù),?!笔访芩拐f。
聯(lián)合會(huì)主席塞西爾·羅伯茨在3月底曾致信礦山安全與健康管理局局長(zhǎng)戴維·扎塔扎羅,,要求實(shí)施保護(hù)礦工安全的一系列措施,。包括提供N95口罩及其它個(gè)人防護(hù)設(shè)備、不同班次之間進(jìn)行設(shè)備消毒,、限制同一電梯和礦車搭載的礦工數(shù)量等,。史密斯說,,這封信沒有得到回應(yīng),。
卡普托說,該局完全有權(quán)力制訂可強(qiáng)制執(zhí)行的臨時(shí)標(biāo)準(zhǔn),?!氨緛碓谧铋_始,,礦山安全與健康管理局就應(yīng)該出臺(tái)防護(hù)措施,全國(guó)的每一家煤炭公司都應(yīng)該被告知需要采取什么措施來維持運(yùn)營(yíng),?!笨ㄆ胀姓f,“這些措施都應(yīng)該是強(qiáng)制性的,,而不僅僅是建議,。”
在發(fā)給《財(cái)富》雜志的一封電子郵件中,,美國(guó)勞工部發(fā)言人勞拉·麥金尼斯表示,,礦山安全與健康管理局已經(jīng)發(fā)布了一系列自愿遵守的指導(dǎo)方針,并將繼續(xù)履行強(qiáng)制性檢查和事故審查等基本職能,。他們還將就預(yù)防新冠病毒提供咨詢意見,,按照自愿的原則。
在特朗普?qǐng)?zhí)政期間,,礦山安全與健康管理局的監(jiān)管權(quán)被大大削弱,。該機(jī)構(gòu)曾在沒有固定局長(zhǎng)的情況下運(yùn)行了近一年的時(shí)間后,特朗普才提名扎塔扎羅擔(dān)任局長(zhǎng),,他是一位煤礦業(yè)退休高管,,曾管理西弗吉尼亞州的Rhino East Eagle煤礦。自2000年以來,,該礦因?yàn)?62起工作場(chǎng)所安全或健康違規(guī)事件而被罰款210多萬美元,。扎塔扎羅在位期間,他的礦場(chǎng)被礦山安全與健康管理局列為“潛在重復(fù)違規(guī)”的礦井,,指的是“那些礦井中反復(fù)出現(xiàn)嚴(yán)重違反強(qiáng)制性健康和安全標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的礦井經(jīng)營(yíng)者”,。
“礦山安全與健康管理局的管理者必須致力于捍衛(wèi)礦工的利益,這點(diǎn)非常關(guān)鍵,,十分關(guān)鍵,。”參議員帕蒂·默里在扎特扎羅的提名最終確認(rèn)前向記者表示,,“但特朗普總統(tǒng)提名的人選不是工人健康和安全的捍衛(wèi)者,,而是該行業(yè)最嚴(yán)重的違規(guī)者之一?!?/p>
扎特扎羅向參議院表示了懊悔:“我們被列為“潛在重復(fù)違規(guī)”礦的事情很不光彩,。我沒有試圖阻止這件事。我覺得,,如果你工作沒有做好,,那么我們就應(yīng)該像成年人一樣,面對(duì)現(xiàn)實(shí),?!彼f,,“順便說一句,我換掉了那屆管理層,,因?yàn)槲覍?duì)他們的表現(xiàn)不太滿意,。”
在扎特扎羅的監(jiān)督下,,礦山安全與健康管理局向十分傾向于“合規(guī)援助”,,這是喬治·W·布什執(zhí)政期間推廣的一個(gè)項(xiàng)目。具體指的是,,合規(guī)檢查助理會(huì)實(shí)地檢查礦場(chǎng),,但無權(quán)簽發(fā)任何有強(qiáng)制力的罰款或罰單,只能提出建議,。過去,,還允許礦場(chǎng)代表陪同合規(guī)檢查助理,但現(xiàn)在不行了,。
礦山安全與健康管理局每年仍然對(duì)所有地下礦進(jìn)行四次正式檢查,,對(duì)地面礦進(jìn)行兩次檢查。特朗普政府提議,,將該機(jī)構(gòu)2021財(cái)年的執(zhí)行預(yù)算削減約200萬美元,。
與此同時(shí),史密斯則希望國(guó)會(huì)在制定第四輪新冠病毒疫情經(jīng)濟(jì)刺激政策時(shí),,可以考慮一下煤礦工人,。
“人們需要認(rèn)識(shí)到,煤礦工人正置生命于危險(xiǎn)之中,?!彼硎荆叭绻f他們是必不可少的,,那么似乎就該做點(diǎn)什么以作補(bǔ)償,。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Agatha
America’s 51,000 coal miners are exceptional conduits for the COVID-19 virus.
Each day, they report for work at what’s commonly referred to as a “bathhouse” where they change clothing in close proximity before being ushered into tight elevators to descend 800 feet underground. Once in the mine, they sit knee-to-knee in a vehicle called a mantrip which takes them to their work site.
During working hours, the air flows one way only: If one person sneezes, everyone downwind can feel it. A lack of machinery means that people have to work in groups to carry and fix things; manhandling equipment is a way of life. Then it's back to the mantrip, into the elevator, and to top it all off: a communal shower.
One in ten coal miners suffers from black lung disease, though some estimate that number is closer to 20%, making them particularly susceptible to the life-threatening complications associated with the virus.
In mid-March, as COVID-19 began its rapid spread across the United States, President Donald Trump issued guidance that highlighted the importance of a critical infrastructure workforce, a group of professionals deemed essential to the heartbeat of the nation. The president recommended that no matter how grim things got, certain groups trudge on, often putting their own health and safety at risk for the betterment of the country: physicians and hospital personnel, water authorities, food manufacturers, and coal miners.
“Coal is so essential it is unbelievable. We have to have good electricity flowing into our homes,” West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, a Republican and coal-mining billionaire, said just one day after Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ordered the temporary closure of coal mines in his state, a move Justice said was “political.”
The next day, Wolf’s administration rethought their stance and moved coal miners to the “essential” designation.
But, coal provides less than one-quarter of U.S. electricity, and that percentage is dropping rapidly: Consumption fell about 18% last year to its lowest level since 1975. The nation is currently sitting on large stockpiles of coal due to an unseasonably warm winter and less use of reserve coal. As oil and gas prices drop, it has become the most expensive fossil fuel available.
“Look, I believe that coal is essential because of where I'm from. It’s essential for the power that we enjoy everyday and a good standard of living,” says Mike Caputo, a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. “But I think the most precious resource to ever come out of the mines was the coal miners, not the coal. So I’m concerned, I’m very concerned.”
Caputo, who worked in an underground mine for 22 years before going to work for the The United Mine Workers of America, represents a northern district in the middle of coal country.
“We are a very at-risk and vulnerable population here in West Virginia because of our predominant industry. It should concern everyone,” he says. “I’m not advocating that everything be shut down. I'm advocating that there should be protections in place mandated by the federal government.”
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), an agency of the United States Department of Labor tasked with protecting the lives of miners, is “asleep at the wheel here,” says Caputo.
Coal mining is an inherently dangerous activity to begin with—small mistakes often have fatal consequences. Balancing a job with no margin for error, along with the new threat of a deadly illness, is a risky dance, and any type of federal guidance or regulation would be welcomed, says Caputo.
“MSHA has not responded to this other than not really saying much at all,” says Phil Smith, spokesman for the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA).
While the UMWA has been able to enforce staggered start times and other safety protocols at the mines they represent, he worries that non-unionized mines are not responding appropriately to the threat of COVID-19.
“We’ve asked them for specific guidance that can be applied nationwide to all mines and they haven’t done a thing. If MSHA doesn’t issue specific guidelines, there’s nothing to protect them,” says Smith.
In a letter sent late in March, union president Cecil Roberts urged MSHA administrator David Zatezalo to enforce a number of precautions intended to keep miners safe including providing N95 respirators and other personal protective equipment, disinfecting equipment between shifts, and limiting the number of miners traveling on elevators and mantrips. The letter was not acknowledged, says Smith.
Caputo says that it is well within the agency's rights to create temporary standards that are enforceable. “The first thing that should have happened is safeguards should have been put in place by MSHA and every coal company across this country should have been told what needed to be done to keep them in business,” says Caputo. “And those should have been enforced, not just recommended.”
In an email to Fortune, U.S. Department of Labor spokesperson Laura McGinnis said that MSHA has issued a set of voluntary guidelines and will continue to perform essential functions like mandatory inspections and accident reviews. They will also help advise on COVID-19 prevention actions, on a voluntary basis.
Under the Trump administration, the regulatory power of MSHA has been greatly reduced. The agency went without a permanent director for nearly a year before the president nominated Zatezalo, a retired coal mining executive who ran Rhino Eastern Eagle mine in West Virginia. Rhino mines have been issued more than $2.1 million in fines for 162 workplace safety or health violations since 2000. While in charge, his mine was designated as a Potential Pattern of Violation mine by MSHA, which identifies "mine operators who have demonstrated a recurring pattern of Significant and Substantial violations of mandatory health and safety standards at their mines."
“It is so critical, absolutely critical, that the MSHA administrator is committed to standing up for our miners,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) told reporters ahead of Zatezalo’s confirmation. “But instead of nominating an advocate for workers’ health and safety, President Trump nominated one of the industry’s worst offenders.”
Zatezalo expressed remorse to the Senate, “I was not proud of the fact that we got designated as a PPOV mine. I did not try to lawyer up and stop anything from happening. I felt that if you haven’t done your job, then we should be big kids and deal with it as such," he said. "Incidentally, I replaced that management because I wasn’t too happy with their performance.”
Under Zatezalo’s watch, MSHA has leaned heavily on “compliance assistance” which was a program popularized during the George W. Bush administration. Compliance assistants visit and inspect mines but are not allowed to issue any enforceable fines or citations and instead make suggestions. In the past, mine representatives were allowed to accompany compliance assistants, but that is no longer the case.
MSHA still completes official inspections of all underground mines four times a year and above surface mines twice a year. The Trump administration has proposed cutting the agency's enforcement budget by about $2 million in fiscal year 2021.
Smith, meanwhile, hopes that Congress thinks of coal miners as they prepare their fourth round of COVID-19-related stimulus spending.
“There needs to be some sort of recognition that folks are putting their lives on the line here,” he says. “If the government is going to call you essential, then it seems like there outta be something that compensates for that.”