Today I take pause to think about the families of the mining disaster in West Virginia. Many families are grieving for their loved ones today. I have been a coal miner now for nearly 30 years and I thank God that somehow the good Lord has preserved me from any harm all those years. Coal mining is a dangerous business no matter if it is open pit strip mining, which is what I am involved in, or under ground mining which was the case for the poor victims of the Upper Big Branch Mine.
Working in a mine means working around very large and powerful equipment, often working in very dark and dusty conditions. Long hours, fatigued and bone weary from being shaken and jostled by the rough off road conditions and rocky landscape of a mine. One must be vigilant and alert when mining because things can get out of hand quickly when things go wrong and the consequences can be deadly. The company I work for, North American Coal, does a good job trying to keep us trained and motivated to think about safety first, but in spite of all efforts still we fight complacency every day. Just yesterday an employee of ours was stepping around the cab of his motor grader when he slipped and fell backwards about 10 foot to the cement floor of our shop. He hit his head and was momentarily unconscious. Our EMT trained employees responded quickly and called air life in to evacuate the injured man to San Antonio for treatment. Fortunately he sustained no permanent injury and should be back on the job soon. Coal miners have a kind of macabre humor when it comes to thinking about the dangers we face. Usually when we have close calls or brushes with near disaster the general reaction from miners is to laugh and kid about the incident. It does no good to dwell on what could have happened. Of coarse we analyze what went wrong for safety reasons and take corrective action to keep it from happening again but usually it becomes a story to tell and just one more time that miners tell each other “man the good Lord was smiling on us that day”!
For the poor fellows who were victims of a methane gas explosion at Upper Big Branch Mine, I pray for your families. Though the Lord has allowed you to undergo severe trial in the loss of your loved ones, I pray that he is still smiling, his countenance shine on your face as he sends comfort and aid in your hour of need.
Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill,He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sov'reign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
No comments:
Post a Comment