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With retiring Massey CEO Don Blankenship taking the Fifth Amendment regarding the Upper Big Branch mining tragedy, the coal outfits problems continue to mount.
In addition to hundreds of violations prior to the disaster which killed 29 miners, a Massey Energy worker has admitted that he used a forged foreman's card when he conducted hundreds of mine safety checks at the Raleigh County operation.
The Charleston Gazette is reporting that Thomas Harrah of Seth performed at least 228 pre-shift, on-shift and conveyor belt safety examinations at Upper Big Branch over nearly a two-year period from January 2008 to August 2009, according to state records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
State investigators have learned that Harrah was using certification numbers that actually belonged to other individuals.
Harrah had a state license to work as an underground coal miner, but he failed the test to become a certified mine foreman, the Freedom of Information request revealed.
Mine foremen not only supervise other workers, they also perform important safety checks and sign required reports meant to document that any problems discovered are corrected before miners go to work.
"It is of grave concern to me that there is a possible improper acquisition of foreman's cards," said Davitt McAteer, who was appointed by former Gov. Joe Manchin to conduct an independent review of the disaster.
"It is something that we absolutely will have to look into," he said.
Records about the Harrah case are being turned over to federal criminal authorities investigating the disaster.
Massey Energy says, "It appears that Mr. Harrah forged the certification because he was unable to pass the test to obtain the certification."
Across the coal industry, miners misstating their fireboss qualifications or working with forged foreman certificates is not that unusual.
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