Stanley Stewart, who said he worked at Upper Big Branch until the day of the explosion, described it as "a ticking time bomb."
Stewart said ventilation systems didn’t work in the mine, but was told he would lose his job if he shut down the mine.
Other miners testified during the hearing in Beckley that because Massey Energy, the company that owns the UBB mine, would terminate or retaliate against any worker that spoke out about the mine’s safety issues they kept quiet.
WVNS-FOX 59, a CBS affiliate in the Beckley market, offered live streaming of the hearing on its internet web site on Monday.
Some family members of coal miners killed in the April 5 explosion told U.S. lawmakers that conditions were bad before the explosion because the mine was plagued by methane and had poor ventilation, but they would be fired if they didn’t work.
Alice Peters, mother-in-law of Dean Jones, a section foreman who was among the miners killed said he reported safety problems to Massey supervisors, but was told he would lose his job.
Steve Morgan said his son Adam, who also died in the accident, told him coal dust had been thick in the mine and steps were taken to reduce the levels when officials were "notified an inspector was on his way in."
“When (a federal Mine Safety and Health Administration) inspector comes onto a Massey mine property, the code word goes out, “We’ve got a man on the property,” said Gary Quarles. A mineworker of 34 years for Massey and other coal producers, Quarles is the father of 33-year-old Gary Wayne Quarles, one of the 29 miners who died at Massey’s Upper Big Branch mine.
“When the word goes out, all effort is made to correct any violations or direct the inspectors from violations,” he said.
Quarles said Massey’s non-union mines operate differently than at union mines. He said at union mines miners go with federal inspectors and point out areas of concern.
“In fact, for a miner working for Massey, the feeling is, ‘If an MSHA inspector fails to say anything about all these safety problems, what right do I have to say anything about them?’” he said. “’And I definitely would be terminated or retaliated against if I said anything.’”
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin asked why federal inspectors are allowing mines with continuous safety violations to still operate.
“Is bureaucracy getting in the way of safety?” the governor asked.
“West Virginia deserves to know what happened,” he said.
Manchin said he would like to see a new mine safety plan that would establish certified mine safety teams in each mine to identify and report unsafe situations and conditions and an 80 percent incombustible content rock dust standard that is recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. He also referred to updated mine ventilation standards, enhanced criminal penalties for altering safety equipment and increased protections for whistleblowers.
Other witnesses gave suggestions for improving safety standards and enforcement procedures.
Last week, Massey CEO Don Blankenship touted Massey’s safety practices before a Senate subcommittee, stating that ventilation systems at UBB were unsafe because of changes required by MSHA.
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