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Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.  has appointed an independent team to investigate the Crandall Canyon Mining disaster and the ill-fated rescue efforts. The newly formed Utah Mine Safety Commission will review the state’s role in events leading up to the accident. It will also investigate the rescue and recovery process and make suggestions on how to improve mine safety to prevent future accidents.

The effort will be headed by Scott Matheson, a former dean of the University of Utah Law School and a former United States Attorney.

Speaking from Salt Lake City, Governor Huntsman said, “When looking to appoint the best person in the nation to chair this important commission, I thought of no one better suited for this task than Scott.” Governor Huntsman added, “He has the right background, methodical approach to problem-solving, and leadership necessary to lead this important Commission.”

Promoting mine safety has become even more important for Utah worker safety in the wake of a number of recent mining accidents, including, of course, the most recent tragedy at Crandall Canyon.  The governor has asked the Commission to recommend changes to the state and local safety laws that would help prevent future mine disasters.

The Utah Mine Safety Commission will hold public hearings at Huntington and Price as well as other locations in the state.  Other volunteers serving on the committee are Jake Garn, a former U.S. Senator and Hilary Gordon, Mayor of Huntington. Mayor Joe Piccolo of Price and Senator Mick Dmitrich as well as Representative Kay McIff has agreed to serve on the committee. The committee includes a representative from the United Mine Workers of American, as well as the Utah Mining Association, a coalition of mine owners.

The MSHA is already taking steps to determine the causes of the accident. The agency has appointed a team of highly-skilled mine safety pros from outside the Utah district, to evaluate all aspects of the accident from initial causes to rescues efforts. The special investigative team will summarize its findings in a formal report to identify any problems and errors in how the incident unfolded. Any problems with the response, or violations of federal mine safety standards will be cited at the end of the investigation.

The special investigative team is assembled from across the nation. MSHA chief Richard Stickler announced that Richard A. Gates, MSHA District Manager from Birmingham, Alabama, will head of the group. Gates is a 19-year veteran of MSHA with hands-on experience as ventilation specialist, mining engineer and assistant district manager. Gates lead the investigation into the Sago Mine disaster in 2006.

A number of mining safety experts will be working with Gates on the special investigative team. These include experts on ventilation, retreat mining, and roof control.

A separate committee appointed by Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao will investigate the MSHA’s role in the disaster. Critics are especially interested in the controversial decision to allow the families of the trapped miners, and reporters, into the rubble-filled shaft.

At least 3 Congressional subcommittees are also investigating the incident. MSHA Director Richard Stickler has already been called upon to testify before one, and there is talk of a subpoena to force mine owner Bob Murray to appear.

Mining is such a hazardous occupation that the federal government has created a special agency to handle miner’s safety. While most businesses in the nation are covered by OSHA or a similar state agency, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, MSHA, is the federal agency charged with protecting the safety of miners.

In recent years, MSHA has faced a number of challenges, including three major mining accidents in 2006. Those include a January 2006 explosion in the Sago Mine in Sago, West Virginia that trapped 13 miners for nearly two days. Only one of them survived.

That same month, a fire at the Aracoma Alma Mine in Melville, West Virginia poured smoke into the miner’s escape route, killing two people. In May 2006, a methane explosion at the Darby Mine No. 1 in Kentucky killed five workers.

In response, MSHA hired additional mine safety inspectors, tightened regulations and made other changes. Still, critics argue that those changes clearly were not enough.

Still, the events at Crandall Canyon are especially tragic, in part because there were initially hopes that the 6 missing miners would be discovered alive. Initial reports indicated that the men might be trapped in an area with sufficient air to survive. There were emergency stores of food in the mine, and potable water.

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