By Michael Moore

Being at the forefront of a technological revolution at the same time coal mining is at a flash point in the national consciousness presents a unique challenge.

In West Virginia, where, perhaps unlike any other state, coal mining is a way of life, experts from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are meeting this challenge head-on.

The second-annual International Mining Health and Safety Symposium, held April 26-27, 2007, at Wheeling Jesuit University, brought together 200 national and international leaders from the coal industry, labor and government with a common goal: Ensure the safety of all coal miners and equip them with the best technology has to offer.

“Two issues frame this symposium,” said J. Davitt McAteer, ’66, vice president for sponsored programs at Wheeling Jesuit and special mine safety advisor to West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin. “Do we have the equipment to put in mines? We must address problems that can be solved today, not wait for the perfect solution. Second, we need to solve the potential conflict between state and federal equipment requirements.”

West Virginia became a national focal point of mine safety after the Sago and Aracoma Alma mine accidents in January 2006 that killed 14 miners. The deaths served as a chilling reminder of the dangers of coal mining, and more importantly sparked a national discussion about safety standards and emergency equipment.

“Since Sago, much has changed, and much more is in progress,” said McAteer. “The first symposium set the stage for significant health and safety improvements in coal mining. This year experts from around the world will examine our progress and discuss what else needs to be done.”

The purpose of the symposium is to keep pace with technology advancements in safety, Manchin stressed to symposium attendees. “This commitment arose from horrible tragedies with human cost. Our only goal here is to make mining safer in the state of West Virginia.”

Innovative technologies developed to help achieve this goal were on display at Wheeling’s WesBanco Arena. One such technology, a robotic “cave crawler” manufactured by Workhorse Technologies in Pittsburgh, can travel deep into mines and withstand poisonous gases, extreme heat and obstructions to locate trapped miners.

Innovations such as this are key to a major breakthrough in mine safety in West Virginia, believes McAteer. “We know that we can make mining safer for everyone involved, so we are bound and determined to do this,” he said.

Agencies and organizations attending the symposium included the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), U.S. Department of Labor, and CONSOL Energy.

MSHA is making strides toward improved communication. The agency is working with interested parties regarding 137 potential systems to provide improved communications and tracking.

Despite fewer coal fatalities in the first four months of 2007 compared to the same time frame in 2006, MSHA’s Kevin Stricklin said, “If you have to visit one widow — one fatality — that’s one too many.”

The West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training reported that it has installed lifelines in all 168 coal mines in West Virginia, and is working with NIOSH to improve SCSRs. Also, the office has increased the number of SCSRs in mines, instituted storage cache plans specifying how mines will provide miners with additional emergency oxygen, and made rescue training experiential.

Cecil Roberts, president of the UMWA, commended West Virginia, Kentucky and Illinois for passing legislation to “further protect coal miners’ health and safety” and singled out the Mountain State’s law as “the best in the nation.”

The issue of mine safety has united all West Virginians, said Manchin. The governor specifically recognized the efforts of McAteer, who led the Sago and Aracoma investigations. Manchin presented McAteer with a State of West Virginia Office of the Chief Executive letter of appreciation.

Ensuring that mine safety remains a top priority at the federal level is Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va. In a letter read to symposium guests, Byrd stressed that the federal agencies charged with the health and safety of the nation’s miners will be held accountable, and looks to the symposium to yield the same ingenuity and resourcefulness that coal miners show every day.

More symposia are on the way, promised Manchin. “We are bringing all sides together. We will continue to work with the federal government, the mining industry and the unions to make our mines safer for all parties involved.”