THE CASE ANALYSIS OF UPPER BIG BRANCH MINE

Abstract

This article aims to analyze a catastrophic mining explosion which resulted in 29 deaths in West Virginia, U.S. The first reports upon the explosion suggested that the explosion happened due to lack of appropriate safety measures. However, further investigation revealed that the issue was deeper than merely the absence of appropriate safety measures. The negative organizational culture created by the leadership was considered as the root cause of this catastrophic incident. According to a case study published by The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2012, it appeared that the organization made systematic and aggressive efforts to prioritize production over the safety of its employees. The disaster could have been prevented if the leadership had taken appropriate safety measures. Leadership, who can see the big picture, understands that prioritizing safety results in overall performance improvement in the long term (Krause, 2005). It is possible to see the implications of such leadership mindset in the organization’s culture. Showing workers that the organization will always do the right thing to assure their safety is an important step toward building trust across the board. Otherwise, lack of trust and communication may eventually lead to tragic incidents as in the case of the Massey Energy. The despotic leadership, that constantly imposed fear on its employees to discourage them from voicing their opinions and questioning the existing conditions, eventually brought organizational deviance. Members of the organization neither had any meaningful communication nor appropriate information exchange. The absence of mutual trust and respect in the work environment was apparent. This paper offers further insights into the role of leadership in the prevention of future catastrophic incidence while promoting both safety and enhanced performance. KEYWORDS: Inclusive, leadership, organization, production, safety