Decertification Defense

When a miner was facing decertification proceedings from the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training, he turned to Dinsmore. Our client was accused of not properly locking and tagging a piece of equipment, which violates state law. As a result, the state of West Virginia sought permanent decertification of the miner. We conducted on-site research at the mine, interviewing witnesses and examining the company’s safety policies, procedures and records. We determined the alleged violation did not rise to the level of permanent decertification and entered into negotiations with the state of West Virginia. We reached a settlement favorable to our client, allowing him to avoid permanent decertification and return to work.