Necessary Part of Doing Business?

The recent West Virginia coal mine disaster has some serious implications - even more far-reaching than the deaths of the miners. The mine at Montcoal, West Virginia, is owned by Massey Energy. As reported recently by the New York Times, Massey Energy is one of the leading violators of safety procedures in the coal industry.

In fact, Massey CEO, Don Blankenship, was recently quoted as saying, "Violations are unfortunately a normal part of the mining process."

Did you get that? Safety violations are a normal part of mining? It is unbelievable that a CEO holds so little value in his people that he doesn't care that his operation will break safety rules? People die as a result - and yet he is still CEO and there seem to be no consequences.

According to Blankenship's words, if he has to risk lives to get the job done, he will choose chunks of rock over human life.

Is your safety program really based on protecting your people or are you just giving an illusion of safety?

Safety Attitude starts at the top and makes no room for "necessary" violations.

But it raises this question: how would you like to be the Supervisor of Safety working under this guy?


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Kevin Burns - Corporate Safety Attitude/Culture Strategist
www.safety.kevburns.com
Toll Free 1-877-287-6711

Creator of the 90-Day System To Improve Safety Culture!