ExposureBlog

In the summer sun, the inside temperature of an automobile with the doors closed can rise 19 degrees in ten minutes and 43 degrees in an hour.  Anytime you prepare to lock and leave an automobile, take a few seconds to “sweep” the car or van visually to make sure you haven’t forgotten something–or someone like a baby, toddler or pet.  Left inside a closed automobile, a child’s core temperature can reach the lethal 107 degrees F.

A two-day hearing on the mine disaster that occurred in January is scheduled to begin today (May 2, 2006) at Weslayan College.  There will doubtless be some interesting questions for the panel–among them, why did it take 11 hours for MSHA to allow workers to begin the search?  Additionally, the sole survivor, Randall McCloy, Jr. has said that four of the air packs used by the miners failed to work.  In response, International Coal Group, Inc. had this statement:

“ICG was informed that the SCSRs found at the barricade were deployed and showed evidence of use,” and that “the federal investigators did not note any defective SCSRs and all appeared to be in working order.”

Note the phrase “showed evidence of use.”  Careful readers will understand that this does not vindicate the air packs by any means.  As a former federal investigator (OSHA), I was surprised that the MSHA investigators found no defective SCSRs.  It could be, of course, that the investigation is continuing and no final report has been made (I’ve not followed this case.)  If no final report has been made, then the feds would not be able to “note” any defects in the air packs.

On the other hand, it could be that the men were too stunned or groggy to properly use the air packs.  I’m a little surprised that the press hasn’t contacted the manufacturer of the air packs.  The question of whether the air packs, or as the miners called them, “rescuers” worked properly or failed is a huge one and must be answered.