“I am asking every underground mine operator and miner to go to work on that day and commit to one day focused completely on making their workplace as safe as possible in honor of the miners we lost at Upper Big Branch,” he said.

“No other family should experience the loss that the UBB families are experiencing.”

Manchin said he was not asking for a day just to stop production – he was asking for operators and employees to focus strictly on safety measures they had been taught and on safety inspections during their regular work shifts.

On Wednesday the governor entered an executive order stating that immediate action was warranted to identify and remedy conditions in the state’s underground coal mines that created a risk of combustion or explosion.

The order specifically encourages each operator of an active underground coal mine in West Virginia to cease production for one day to engage in a thorough review of safety procedures and to take whatever actions are needed to ensure the mine’s compliance with health and safety standards.

In addition, Manchin has ordered immediate state inspections of underground mines, with the priority being the mines that have had the greatest number of violations for combustion risks.

“Mine health and safety laws are in place to protect our coal miners, but it’s clear that a breakdown occurred and we lost 29 miners who should be with us today,” the governor said.

“While the state and federal investigations of this horrific accident will be carried out in the next several months, I strongly believe that stopping production to focus specifically on mine safety gives our mines and their employees the opportunity to identify problems that need to be corrected immediately.

“I’m also directing our state mine safety inspectors to turn their attention to mine ventilation, rock dusting and electrical equipment issues that could pose a hazard. They’ll start with the mines that have been cited repeatedly for these combustion risks during the last year and take immediate steps to ensure compliance with the law.”

Upper Big Branch owner Massey Energy agreed with Manchin’s move.

"We agree with the governor's request and believe it is an appropriate way to honor the miners we lost in the Upper Big Branch tragedy. Massey will use this as an opportunity to reflect on the events of April 5 and will focus our attention on safety and training," the company said.

Meanwhile, Massey has told customers that metallurgical coal shipments may be affected due to the mine’s shutdown since the explosion.

According to a Bloomberg report, Massey plans to increase output at its other operations to try and make up the shortfall, but stated it would not be able to replace 100% of production.