Sophia mine supports safety refreshers - WVVA TV Bluefield Beckley WV News, Weather and Sports

Sophia mine supports safety refreshers

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - The owner of a West Virginia coal mine where a worker died this week has started comprehensive safety retraining and says it supports Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's stand-down order.

Tennessee-based United Coal owns the Affinity Mine near Sophia, where two workers have died this month.

The death Tuesday of a shuttle car operator prompted Tomblin to call for one-hour safety refreshers at every West Virginia mine.

United Coal vice president for safety Rick Waddell says the loss of 2 men in unrelated accidents is devastating.

He says employees are being encouraged to engage in constructive, frank discussions about the accidents with senior management.

Waddell says the meetings are getting a positive response from workers. He says United wants to help ease their transition back to work when the mine reopens.

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