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Operators at West Virginia Mine Kept Separate Records for Inspectors in Run-Up to Deadly Explosion

HeadlineJun 30, 2011

Government regulators have revealed officials at the West Virginia coal mine owned by Massey Energy, where 29 men died last year, kept separate sets of safety records—one for inspectors and one detailing the actual conditions on the site. According to interviews conducted by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, 266 people reported that managers of the Upper Big Branch mine pressured workers not to record hazards and kept two separate sets of books to avoid inspector scrutiny and to keep coal production running smoothly.

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