Lawmakers debate workplace safety bill prompted by coal mine disaster

Source: AP

WASHINGTON -- Three months after a mine explosion killed 29 workers in West Virginia, lawmakers debated legislation Tuesday that would toughen workplace safety rules and increase penalties for all of the nation's employers for only the second time in 40 years.

The House Committee on Education and Labor discussed the proposed legislation, which also prohibits the firing of employees who report unsafe conditions and raises penalties for employers violating safety policies to as much as $250,000 from $70,000.

An April 5 explosion at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, W.Va., the deadliest mine accident in four decades, prompted the legislation, but Republican opponents argue that the bill goes beyond addressing the mine accident.

Supporters for the legislation - mostly the Democrats - say the costs of work-related accidents and illnesses outweigh the expenses of stricter regulations and are pushing for a quick vote.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/13/1729236/lawmakers-debate-workplace-safety.html#ixzz0tcRlzPqk

---

Apologies to mods for adding the last para. here as it means going beyond the limit but this is very important info...

Opposition from mining companies against tougher safety sanctions has created a backlog of roughly 16,000 cases involving 89,000 violations and more than $195 million in fines, according to Joseph Main, MSHA's director. The sheer volume of these cases has clogged the appeals process and, in some instances, allowed operators to delay paying hefty fines, safety advocates said.

In related news...