Utah mine panel urges whistle-blower alert system

The Utah Mine Safety Commission made a strong plea to the governor today for the state to institute a system where whistle-blowers could alert a state Coal Mine Safety Ombudsman about potential problems in mines.

The panel also wants Utah to initiate a state-federal partnership with the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration for at least the next year in an effort to allow state officials to participate in inspection and mine approval processes.

Commission chairman Scott Matheson said the state had an immediate need for an ombudsman system.

"This system would allow any person, especially miners, an opportunity to report any safety concerns through all available communication channels," he said. "To encourage candor, there would be strict legal protections that guarantee the privacy and confidentiality of the person making the report."

The commission presented its recommendations to Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. at the State Capitol. The list of 45 recommendations was the culmination of five months of hearings, testimony and research by the eight-member panel that was created following the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster.

In August, six miners at Crandall Canyon were trapped deep underground after a collapse at the mine in Emery County. Days later, three rescuers were killed trying to reach those trapped inside. The mine has since been sealed and the remains of the six miners were never recovered.

Huntsman said he will work to determine which recommendations can be implemented right away via executive order and which ones will require legislative action.

"I am particularly intrigued by the idea of a Utah-MSHA partnership," he said. "This kind of collaborative work will certainly put us ahead in the game."

Huntsman said the recommendations will serve as the foundation for the state reaching a higher level of mine safety.

"Clearly, we have been pointed out as a state that has been deficient in this regard," Huntsman said. The recommendations will help make Utah "a state that moving forward embraces best practices."

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