Governor Approves Mining Safety Reforms in West Virginia

West Virginia lawmakers recently passed a series of reforms intended to improve safety and accountability in the state's mining industry.

2012-11-06

November 06, 2012 (Press-News.org) Governor Approves Mining Safety Reforms in West Virginia

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin commemorated the signing of the state's new mine safety reform law in a ceremony at the State Capitol on March 21, just days shy of the 2-year anniversary of an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine that killed 29 miners on April 5, 2010.

The new legislation is aimed at preventing mining accidents and increasing oversight in the West Virginia mining industry. The bill includes provisions that will require pre-employment and random drug testing for mine workers. Until now, there has been no law requiring drug testing for miners in West Virginia, though many employers have used drug tests to screen applicants during the hiring process.

The new mine safety law also increases penalties for people who give advance notice of an inspector's presence in a mine. Federal law already prohibits warning of an inspector's presence in a mine, but the new West Virginia law makes it a state crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Additionally, the legislation provides for an anonymous whistleblower hotline and creates stricter standards for preventing dangerous buildups of coal dust and methane gas.

Improving West Virginia's Track Record

Lawmakers and mining safety advocates in West Virginia hope the safety reforms will help prevent injuries and deaths in the state's coal mining industry. According to data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, coal mining accidents have killed 130 people in West Virginia since 2001 -- far more than any other state.

West Virginia's first mining fatality of 2012 occurred recently when a side wall cracked and fell onto a Fayette County coal miner at the Kingston No. 2 mine in March. As reported by WOWK-TV, the Kingston No. 2 mine has been cited for 968 safety violations over the last 10 years, including 130 violations in 2011.

Injured miners and family members of workers who have died in mining accidents should consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer to learn about their legal options and discuss the possibility of seeking compensation for the financial losses incurred as a result of the injury or death.

Article provided by Hoover Andrews PLLC
Visit us at http://www.hooverandrews.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Motorcycle Safety and Helmet Use in New Jersey

2012-11-06

Motorcycle Safety and Helmet Use in New Jersey Even though traffic accident fatalities are down overall, motorcycle fatalities are on the rise across the country. The increasing number of deadly motorcycle crashes makes it all the more important to focus on motorcycle safety. According to the Federal Highway Administration?, about 2,500 motorcycles are involved in crashes every year in New Jersey. While the number of fatalities related to motorcycle accidents has remained near 60 over the last two years in New Jersey, the previous handful of years saw over 350 motorcyclist ...

Don't Let Connecticut Estate Plans Become Outdated

2012-11-06

Don't Let Connecticut Estate Plans Become Outdated Many people understand the importance of creating estate plans. Well-drafted estate plans not only give directions for distributing a person's assets after he or she dies, they also allow a person to provide for loved ones after passing on, name guardians for minor children, give instructions on the extent of medical care he or she wishes to receive if incapacitated and appoint others to make important decisions on his or her behalf in the event of incapacity. However, after doing the initial work of estate planning, ...

New York State Appellate Court Gives Insight on Calculation of Alimony

2012-11-06

New York State Appellate Court Gives Insight on Calculation of Alimony A recent ruling by a New York appeals court provides divorce attorneys in the state with guidance on the new version of the Domestic Relations Law, which sets out a formula to calculate temporary spousal maintenance. The new version of the law differs from the old in that it requires judges to follow a formula rather than determining a temporary spousal amount that "justice requires." Under the updated Domestic Relations Law, judges are supposed to determine the presumptive amount of ...

Protection Orders in New York May Overlap in Family and Criminal Court

2012-11-06

Protection Orders in New York May Overlap in Family and Criminal Court The Cashman stalker case has put protection orders in the news across New York. The case stemmed from criminal court, but the Cashman case also had implications for his family. Brian Cashman, the general manager of the New York Yankees, filed for a protective order against Louise Meanwell for allegedly stalking Cashman over the internet, sending threatening text messages and attempting to extort Cashman for $15,000. Since Cashman and Meanwell are not married, the case brings up important questions ...

New Jersey Supreme Court Interprets Fair Foreclosure Act

2012-11-06

New Jersey Supreme Court Interprets Fair Foreclosure Act On February 27, 2012 the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a decision in the case US Bank National Association v. Guillaume, in which the court had to interpret the notice requirements of the state's Fair Foreclosure Act. Some homeowners brought suit against U.S. Bank, claiming they did not receive requisite notice under the law prior to the lender filing foreclosure, but the court disagreed with the homeowners. New Jersey's Fair Foreclosure Act Legislators intended New Jersey's Fair Foreclosure Act to be a ...

Mortgage Foreclosures Rising in New Jersey and Across the US

2012-11-06

Mortgage Foreclosures Rising in New Jersey and Across the US For a time at the end of 2010 and beginning of 2011, it looked like the U.S. housing market was starting to show signs of recovery from the foreclosure crisis that hit the country after the 2006 real estate bubble burst. However, a new government report suggests that mortgage lenders are aggressively resuming foreclosure activity in New Jersey and across the U.S., after having paused due to legal troubles. Foreclosure Statistics A report by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued in December ...

How Bankruptcy Affects Inherited Assets

2012-11-06

How Bankruptcy Affects Inherited Assets Many people experiencing overwhelming financial difficulty wrestle with the decision of whether to file bankruptcy. The situation can become even more complex when people believe they will be getting an inheritance in the near future. People in California and across the U.S. should know how Chapter 7 bankruptcy treats inherited assets. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Chapter 7 bankruptcy is primarily used to discharge certain debts and can even be used to protect property from creditors. The bankruptcy discharge eliminates the personal ...

Medical Expenses Often Lead to Bankruptcy

2012-11-06

Medical Expenses Often Lead to Bankruptcy A number of New Jersey residents struggling in this tough economy have chosen bankruptcy as a way to deal with financial problems. Bankruptcy filers might be stereotyped as irresponsible overspenders, but many people who turn to personal bankruptcy are the victims of bad luck in the form of an expensive illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2011 one in five American families faced problematic medical bills they could not readily pay. Excessive medical bills are even more likely for women. ...

California Legislator Alleges Constitutional Violation in DUI Stop

2012-11-06

California Legislator Alleges Constitutional Violation in DUI Stop On March 27, 2012, police arrested Assemblyman Roger Hernandez on suspicion of driving under the influence after they stopped him for allegedly weaving in his lane. Hernandez claimed that police violated his constitutional rights during the stop and asked the judge in his case to throw out all of the evidence police collected after the supposed constitutional violation. Acquitted of DUI Charges Hernandez told officers that he had only two glasses of wine over a period of five hours before he was ...

Watch for Ways Divorce May Be Impacting Children

2012-11-06

Watch for Ways Divorce May Be Impacting Children Parents who go through divorce understand the emotional turmoil the event can bring to a person's life. They need to start over as single people and figure out how to keep communicating with their former spouses in order to raise their children despite the fact that the marriage did not work. Adjusting to life as a single parent can be overwhelming, and in the midst of the changes parents may not consider how their children handle divorce. Parents in Oklahoma and across the U.S. should be aware of some of the ways that ...