Davitt McAteer
J. Davitt McAteer is an American lawyer, author, and activist from Fairmont, West Virginia. McAteer was appointed to the position of assistant secretary for the Mine Safety and Health Administration from 1993 to 2000 under President Bill Clinton. Throughout his career, McAteer has been an advocate for safe working conditions for miners, particularly in the coal industry. After the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster of 2010, where an explosion caused by negligence led to the death of 29 miners, McAteer Served on Governor Earl Ray Tomblin's independent investigation panel to determine the cause of the explosion. McAteer is the author of "Monongah: The Tragic Story of the 1907 Monongah Mine Disaster".
Career and research contributions
1966 - 1970
While in law school McAteer conducted a study on the safety of West Virginia mines after the Farmington Mine disaster on November 1968. The findings of his study led to the first Mine Health and Safety Act in 1969. This Act led to the creation of MSHA and also provided compensation to miners completely disabled by black lung disease. The findings of the study were also published under the name "Coal Mine Health and Safety: The Case of West Virginia"
1972 - 1983
In 1972 McAteer greatly improved the
1984 - 1993
After leaving the Center for Law and Social Policy McAteer went on to create the Occupational Safety and Health Law Center. The Occupational and Health Law Center is a law firm located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia and deals with training and analysis of workplace health and safety issues.[1]
1994 - 2000
McAteer served as the head of the Occupational Safety and Health Law Center until 1993 when he was appointed as the assistant secretary for the Mine Health and Safety Administration (MSHA).
2001 - present
In 2001 McAteer joined the Benefits Review Board of the U.S Department of Labor. The Benefits Review Board makes decisions in appeals of the administrative law judges under the
Legacy
McAteer's publications include “Miner’s Manual: A Complete Guide to Health and Safety Protection on the Job”, which have sold more than 25,000 copies.[1] McAteer has also directed and produced a video named “Monongah 1907”, and also wrote a book about the same mining disaster.[6] He is known for leading the investigation of the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, which occurred in 2010.[7] McAteer has been a visiting lecturer at his alma mater West Virginia University School of Law.[1]
Publications
- Monongah the Tragic Story of the Worst Industrial Accident in US History. West Virginia University Press, 2007.
- Coal Mine Health and Safety; the Case of West Virginia. Praeger, 1973.
- Textile Health and Safety Manual: a Complete Guide to Health and Safety Protection on the Job. Occupational Safety and Health Law Center, 1986.
- How to Use Your Right to Know Chemical Hazards: a Guide to the New Hazard Communication Standards. Occupational Safety and Health Law Center, 1986.
References
- ^ a b c d e J. Davitt McAteer (‘70 JD)[1] Archived 2018-03-13 at the Wayback Machine https://www.alumni.wvu.edu/give-back/academy-of-distinguished-alumni/j-davitt-mcateer Archived 2018-03-13 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2018-04-04
- ^ a b "News Release: 01/03/2001: McATEER JOINS BENEFITS REVIEW BOARD". arlweb.msha.gov. Archived from the original on 2018-04-06. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
- ^ a b "Davitt McAteer Statement Before Committee on Education and Labor" (PDF). May 16, 2007.
- ^ "News Story - Wheeling Jesuit University". www.wju.edu. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
- ^ Berkes, Howard (May 19, 2011). "Report Blasts Massey For 'Deviance' In Safety Culture". National Public Radio. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
- ^ Davitt, McAteer (2014). Monongah: The Tragic Story of the 1907 Monongah Mine Disaster. Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University Press.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-03-30.