Once again, families of coal miners are waiting and praying to see if their loved ones will survive an underground disaster, this time in Tallmansville, W.V.

The working people of the AFL-CIO are waiting and praying with them, taking heart from remembering the July 2002 rescue of nine trapped miners in Somerset, Pa.

But we also must remember that too many of America’s workers face dangers on the job every day—not just coal miners, but construction and factory workers, service workers and office workers. According to Mine Safety and Health Administration inspection information, the Sago Mine that has trapped 13 miners was cited more than 200 times last year for safety violations, many of them for serious hazards. We don’t know if Monday’s mine explosion was related to the cited conditions, but it certainly is another in a long line of wake-up calls for increased government and industry attention to workers’ safety on the job. Regardless of the cause, our nation's safety and health laws must be strengthened.

For information: Esmeralda Aguilar 202-637-5018