Union says mine lied about safety

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March 12, 2002

Union says mine lied about safety

By DAN BURKHART

Of The Gazette Staff

COLUMBUS - Federal safety officials conducting a routine review of

conditions at the Stillwater Mining Company's Nye mine say the company could

have prevented 10 miners from being exposed to toxic fumes last month, but

ignored a problem with the underground ventilation system.

Mine Safety and Health Administration at first issued a less severe citation

to the company for not conducting a ventilation system survey. But a more

severe citation was issued when MSHA inspectors discovered that the company

was aware of the problem and failed to correct it, said MSHA spokesperson

Rodney Brown.

Brad Shorey, president of the mine workers union, said the company's

officials not only " knew about it and failed to do anything, they lied about

it. "

Shorey is president of Local 8-001 of the Paper, Allied Industrial, Chemical

and Energy Workers International Union (PACE), which represents workers at

the mine. When he initially requested information from company officials

about the incident he said he

was told one miner had been slightly injured.

" I was told the whole thing was exaggerated, " he said. " Instead, I find out

it was 10 guys, the company knew about the condition before, and they

ignored it and lied to me about what happened. "

Shorey said the miners had to be treated at Stillwater Community Hospital.

" These guys were gassed and the company didn't report it, " he said.

Stillwater Chief Operating Officer McAllister did not respond to The

Gazette's efforts to reach him.

Shorey said he dispatched two union representatives to Helena when company

officials met with MSHA officials to discuss the incident.

" We wanted to make sure what really happened was reported, " he said.

MSHA has also issued a citation for inadequate training and is investigating

a problem at the company's East Boulder mine also involving a defective

ventilation system, Brown said. Two East Boulder miners were reported to

have suffered toxic fume exposure, MSHA's Brown said.

The incidents took place last month at the Nye mine and March 3 at the East

Boulder, he said. He was not sure what date the 10 miners were exposed to

toxic fumes at Nye.

There could be more citations issued since MSHA officials are still

conducting inspections, he said.

The company could be fined as much as $55,000 for each violation, Brown

said.

Shorey said the company's safety record has been dismal at the mines with 52

ground violations over two years. Ground violations are issued for

underground infractions typically involving putting in overhead supports,

Shorey said.

" They are in denial about how bad things are, " he said. " They refuse to take

ownership for the problems. "

Shorey said the union has repeatedly tried to work with the company to

reduce safety violations and workplace injuries and accidents. But when it

has been detected the company is " not being forthright, we have to take

other action, " he said.

" We've filed multiple grievances (over those issues), " he said. " We also

filed board charges. " Board charges refer to complaints filed with the

National Labor Relations Board.

Stillwater Mining vowed to increase safety training and be more vigilant

about safety in the workplace after three fatalities last year. Stillwater

Mine's nonfatal lost-time injury rate was 11.80, according to MSHA

statistics available last year. The rate for underground metals mines was

5.35. For fatalities, the rate industrywide was 0.11; for Stillwater Mine,

it was 0.14. MSHA statistics employ a standard measurement for injuries and

fatalities based on 200,000 employee work hours.

Accident and injury citations are not current since reports from the year

before are not compiled officially until the middle of the next year, Brown

said.

All citations are subject to appeal, he said.

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