Commission Forms to Study Oil and Gas Safety

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has formed a commission to study workplace safety regulations for the oil and gas industry and to recommend improvements. Tomblin issued an executive order forming the West Virginia Commission on Oil and Natural Gas Industry Safety. The commission includes representatives of industry and labor, legislators and the secretaries of the Departments of Environmental Protection, Commerce, Transportation and Military Affairs and Public Safety, and the commission will issue a final report on Nov. 16. The goal is to help state officials determine how to best protect workers and how to ensure that workers have proper training and skills.