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January 06, 2006
Mine tragedy highlights improved safety
The West Virginia mine disaster has been leading many newscasts over the last few days, especially the grief of the miners’ families after they were told that 12 had survived, only to have their hopes dashed three hours later by the news that 12 had died – just one miner made it.
As the recriminations are heard and felt – and as the families retain counsel for the sure-to-come lawsuits, we’ve learned of the heartbreaking notes scribbled by the men in their last hours, telling their families that they love them, that they’ll see them again, and that "Daddy’s in no pain, he’s just going to sleep."
However, as in all stories like this, it’s important to get a little perspective. Mining is a dangerous business, but it’s much less so now than in the past – at least in the U.S. The Wall Street Journal has an editorial (available online to subscribers) that provides the missing context.
As recently as the 1950s, the coal mining industry lost 12 miners on average every week. Thanks to huge and steady investments in mine safety and technology, coal mining fatalities now average only about 30 a year – down from 1,000 a year in the first half of the 20th century. Injuries have been cut to 4,000 a year from 60,000.
By contrast, China – which still uses primitive mining techniques and allows outrageous safety violations – has an estimated 5,000 or more deaths every year from avoidable mining accidents. Just last month, nearly 200 Chinese lost their lives in a coal mining accident in Henan Province – the third fatal Chinese coal mining accident in a week.
The Journal concludes by noting that we ought to recognize the contributions miners have made to America’s economy, but also recognize and celebrate how the U.S. has made workers more prosperous and safer than ever before, and accidents like these a seldom-seen event.
I’ll revise and extend that conclusion: the U.S. economy has made American workers members of the most prosperous and safest working class the world has ever known.
Posted by Mike Lief at January 6, 2006 11:16 AM