Nova Scotia Mine tragedy Westry

Introduction

The Westray tragedy was a disaster that took place on 09 May, a Saturday in Plymouth – Nova Scotia. It was found that methane gas exploded in a section of the mine and caused subsequent death of twenty-six miners. This paper explores some ethical issues surrounding this case study and recommendations for the Canadian mining industry to do.

Case Summary

Westry The mine was opened in 1991, in September. He was received warmly by local residents and politicians. However, after the opening of the mine, Many workers complained that the company was looking to reduce costs by not having their employees trained in security or give them the proper equipment. In addition, a series of charges filed by the last group to conduct mine was negligent in the inspection of mines may even amount to criminal behavior. A union official said in a 1992 report of March 9 was worried about death in this mine. (O'Malley, 2002)

On May 9, led to an explosion of Methane was one of the most disastrous events in the history of Canadian mining. The news of the explosion has caused many members of the media Plymouth communication outside the camp to cover the corridors inside the mine.

On the day of the explosion, and in the coming days that followed, bodies of the miners fifteen were found after investigation and aggressive efforts Recue. Subsequently, these efforts have changed following the efforts relief and recovery, but over time, conditions have worsened and the rescue mission was abandoned, leaving the bodies of miners buried eleven o'clock mining materials. Soon after, analysts returned to the scene of the tragedy to take with them the evidence. However, it should be noted that it could not access the section of the mine, was perceived as responsible for the explosion, because the article was very dangerous. In this case, the section southwest of the main shaft.

After tragedy, the company had to pay a hundred miners seventeen (which were not in the mine at the time of the tragedy) a severance payment to twelve weeks of his salary. In addition, the company was facing at fifty-two counts of operating a mine that was dangerous. In addition, the mine went bankrupt in the year Next is, 1993. This led to the prevention of cases to court. There were two mine managers on duty at the time and are charged with crimes. However, these cases were dismissed after it was established that there was insufficient evidence to achieve them.

There was a commission of inquiry established by the government Nova Scotia provincial to analyze some of the security issues that could lead to disaster. In 1998, the Commission issued a report recommending that all mining laws of the region should be modified. He also said there should be a revision of labor laws in the country. However, the consequences long-term research has not yet been addressed by the federal government through new legislation. (O'Malley, 2002)

Today should be stored in a Glasgow park, where an estimated C and non-miners discovered eleven are yet to discover. There are silos of coal in this place that serves as a reminder of the facts at this point. It should be noted that from May 1992, the mine was permanently sealed immediately after the investigations had been made.

Important issues raised by the case

This case is particularly important to highlight how the failure to comply with safety requirements and regulations can be potentially disastrous. It is well known that methane is a common component of the process of mining coal. Therefore, we find methane gas layers of coal and therefore corresponds managers within these mines to find ways they can deal with this waste of methane. However, it should be noted that the amount of methane in coal seams can vary from place to place. The amount of methane in Plymouth cords is particularly high. This was an established fact from eighteenth century. The situation is aggravated by the existence of a minimum of ventilation in the mine. Westray is underground and it was very difficult to ensure that concentration levels methane have been low. (O'Malley, 2002)

Before the entry into force of Westray, the site has received about eight mines. Therefore, the story surrounding area had been greatly neglected during the operation of the mine. Such events include the eight explosions that took place during the period of forty years Allan Mine. All these are warning signs Much of what could happen to me if you have not paid sufficient attention to safety requirements.

Westray disaster also helped reveal some of the negatives that may result from actions for political reasons. Provincial and Federal support for the mine because He has pledged to create jobs that are desperately needed in the region. Nova Scotia has one of the currently unstable economically. Leaders Politicians know that if you support this initiative, its popularity will grow as increased jobs could be assigned.

Moreover, this case was particularly important to show what can happen when a project receives support from some political bigwigs as was the case with the Westray. Historic warnings and advice from experts techniques can be ignored if you have the support of the numbers on the political right. In fact, one analyst said that when resources Curragh (the mining company) held Chief Executive has announced plans to open a mine in the area, Nova Scotia politicians have joined him in the same way as the gulls are moved to a beach.

Let see how this area has been power politics to include the issue in context. A member of Pictou County, which is the Westray mine had a role to play in the aspects of development, construction and professional life of the mine and was known as Brian Mulroney. This person became Prime Minister. There was also a significant number who have been instrumental in ensuring that the Westray mine was in operation, including Ottawa MP Elmer MacKay, who was Attorney General Canada. (O'Malley, 2002)

It is also interesting to note that there were also a number of implications the financial wealth of the district and province. First, the province of Nova Scotia through its Provincial Minister of Industry, Trade and technology of the province is committed to a lease approximately twelve million dollars. Otherwise, there was a possibility of getting 275 hundred thousand dollars to a period of fifteen years.

This mine has been funded through the ongoing collaboration of the provinces in both federal and effort. The federal government has secured a contribution of one hundred million dollars in bank loans. Moreover, the provincial government has contributed twelve million subordinated loans. The provincial government has also assured the owners coal mine if there had not been taken by the Power Corporation, the provincial government should take. This measure has been agreed in the "take or pay agreement. "

It is also noted that before the start of operations, this organization has been described as a "state of the art" all mines most modern equipment and technology for coal mines. However, after the onset of the explosion, it was found that these allegations were very valid. It is also noted that even during the production process, a series of ground control issues facing the company, and most of them were related to geological factors in the mine. (O'Malley, 2002)

The situation is aggravated by poor planning. In fact, the commission research that looked at the tragedy, said the Hazardous environment in which the company was operating and accompanying uncertainties have put a serious doubt on the viability of the company.

Identification and prioritization of stakeholders and their rights and responsibilities

The party was really the cause of this incident was Curragh Resources, which was the private company that managed the mine. This company has been the task of advancing the agenda of business, without having into account the impact that might come from a project. The following are some issues that the company was facing:

1) government inspectors warned inadequate ventilation

2) Mining unauthorized designs

3) procedures to produce reliable non-explosive gas

4) detectors Disconnection of methane to minimize disruptions during the production process

5) No safety training for employees

6) Establishment of children at risk tunnels

All these responsibilities must be carried out by the company's board. They do not respect the rights of its respective employees which leads to the emergence of the tragedy.

Politicians also have an interest in this arrangement because this operation has contributed company so quickly without looking at the dangers that might come from it. The mine was opened in less than a week before the election and it was very convenient for candidates to claim project support to provide employment to three hundred inhabitants. Officials federal and provincial governments have a responsibility to conduct a thorough investigation on the draft before committing to support for it or before investing in him. (O'Malley 2002)

The latter categories of people have also been partly responsible for this tragedy because of their lack of security and respect the laws of the province. This was due to a lack of commitment to ethical procedures necessary in all governments. If this were the case, federal agents have been particularly critical that all companies comply with regulations and that workers are always protected.

The analysis of what happened, and especially how these actions, omissions, errors, incompetence, apathy, cynicism, stupidity and negligence "could occur

The main problem that caused this type of disaster is the lack of an ethic of enterprise security. The administration has not considered a priority to establish a security program or to train employees on how to conduct operations there. In addition, safe practices in the workplace were not in sight. This is the reason why it would make the management of compliance procedures only when they thought they should be inspected.

This problem has been exacerbated by the culture of complacency in the company. In fact, we can say that this type attitude was that eventually degenerate into blatant disregard of basic safety procedures.

The respective company managers were reported as very intimidating for their employees. They indoctrinated by placing too much importance to these employees the importance of safe coal production. He went to the safety of their workers as a matter of minor importance affecting achieve their ultimate goals. (O'Malley, 2002)

There was a game series to blame what happened on the way from different angels. One example was the prime minister who was a deputy and a pressure group known Westray. This policy has argued that workers are guilty because they are the ones who have died of methane detectors. However, this assertion does not hold water by the fact that employees were simply doing what they were told to do by management. This last category have been frustrated by frequent interruptions and constantly ignored these alarms the potential danger of methane detectors have tried to show.

Also, if the miners received safety training, would know how dangerous it is to ignore the methane detectors, and even turn them off. These miners were indoctrinated in a culture of complacency that its directors knew they could benefit when employees have a false sense of security. In ethics, the managers knew better, but do not take the time to educate workers about it.

At the top the latter group, provincial inspectors have also been very accommodating in the process of exercising their functions. Again and again, these people find fault security in the mine, but I always ignore. He said that the source of the catastrophe was the spark that had been caused by a machine in the southwestern part of the mine. That spark was enough to ignite a flame that had been fueled by methane gas. The gas was then extended to other sections of the mine that were rich in coal dust and their union, caused the explosion.

Spark were responsible for the safe, except that the mine and the provincial government had not permitted levels of coal dust reach dangerous levels that had reached or if there is adequate ventilation in the mine to prevent an explosion.

Perspective theories that satisfy traditional standards of justice

Consequentialism can be applied to the Westray tragedy due to the fact that value the importance of the consequences. In this school of thinking, his actions are right when they lead to positive consequences and should not be considered the motivations of the act or the nature of the actors involved.

In theory, utilitarianism, consequentialism, an act is morally justifiable when you maximize the intrinsic good for all who are affected by it or reduce the damage they would suffer a lot. Moreover, a measure is defined as intrinsically good, if you increase the pleasure and not bad in itself if it causes pain. (Anscombe, 1990)

In this case, we can say that because of the Westray tragedy caused a negative consequence: the loss of twenty-six mines, while unethical. Without But almost all ethical theorists agree that the latest tragedy was morally reprehensible. There are a number of acts may be considered unethical before of the explosion. First, the act lobbying and support this project was unethical, because it leads to negative consequences. The act of ignoring the warning signs of representatives province also ethics, and that caused the tragedy and that therefore the act was to issue guidelines for employees.

From the ethical point of view of Kant, moral acts are considered once a commitment to carry out and when we act according to law. Since there is no act that is intrinsically good, according to Kant, all you can depend on the actions J. is a pattern. In the case of the mining tragedy, we can say that employees who have given their employer attempts to extinguish the methane alarms were in good faith because they wanted to increase production and it was his duty to follow the instructions of his superiors.

On the contrary, one can argue that senior management and the mine owners have acted for the good of others, since their motivations are to provide jobs. However, Kant makes the concept of acting within their legal duty, one aspect of these two categories of people who did not. What he knew was his moral duty to ensure the safety of their workers is a priority. Without But because it does not work, then we can say that it engaged in unethical behavior.

In virtue ethics, their actions can be considered as truly virtuous, when the respective person acts according to its destination that Aristotle is divided into two intellectual and moral. When examining the Westray mine tragedy, one can see that the option to support this project by the provincial and federal politicians, was an act contrary to these two virtues. People who chose fame and popularity rather than examining their real goal as leaders.

In the ethics of care is given great importance to relations in humans are still dependent on each other to achieve their interests. In addition, people who may be vulnerable to the actions of one must be considered depending on the level of vulnerability This person shares. Second, should be considering what further action may be affected by their actions. In this theory, it is necessary to take into account some contextual details affect some of parties to promote those interests. (Hare, 1999)

Under the ethics of attention to the tragedy, we can see that a number of parties has taken into account the interests of others. First, the owners of the company did not consider how their dangerous actions of the mine opening would be given to minors history the place – for its high level of vulnerability. In addition, senior management failed to consider the interests of employees who have chosen according to security needs.

A Canadian mining plan

To ensure that a disaster of this nature never happens again, it is essential to the mining industry to appreciate the importance Ethics security and protection of workers. First, federal and provincial officials should be allowed to invest in mining projects after a thorough investigation of the safety of local project. In addition, politicians should be allowed to lobby for these projects, which could be swept away by some of the issues surrounding this case.

Moreover, greater priority should be given to security rather than for profit companies life can never be less than the money. In this sense, all the warning signs or a survey that shows a lack of respect has to show immediately. When research The company states that have failed, then they should be immediately arrested. The words of the technical experts should be given higher priority at present.

Conclusion

The Westray tragedy was one of the saddest examples of what can happen when people put a higher priority on winning the business instead of their moral actions. To prevent the occurrence of such events in future, will be essential to enforce these regulations through legislative measures and soil then in ethical theories.

References

O'Malley, M. (2002): Westray, is what happened, extracted from access January 31, 2008

Hare, M. (1999): Thinking Oxford Press moral

Anscombe, E. (1990): Modern Moral Philosophy, Blackwell Publishers

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