T he U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that federal inspectors issued 135 citations, 24 orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and two metal and nonmetal mines in December 2013. Only one aggregates operation was inspected: BCJ Sand and Rock Inc. Eight violations were uncovered. The monthly inspections, which…
Read MoreDay: March 24, 2014
Meadows Stone Settles Past MSHA Debt Through Garnishment
United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced in a press release that the Northern District of West Virginia had collected $116,183 in delinquent civil penalties from a West Virginia quarry.
Read MoreRequest for Depositions Denied Where Case Designed for Simplified Proceeding
By Ellen Smith R eview Commission Judge William Moran denied a construction company’s motion to conduct depositions where a case was designated for a simplified proceeding under Commission Rule 29 CFR §2700.101. Rule 101 requires that cases designated for Simplified Proceedings not involve fatalities, injuries, or illnesses, and generally include one or more of the following characteristics: the case involves…
Read MoreWhy Do We Have To?
O ne of the MSHA standards that we’ve grown to know and love is captured in the quotation above. It’s a perfect example of MSHA’s institutional neglect in maintaining certain standards with respect to advanced technology – fall arrest harnesses and retractable lanyards.
Read MoreFebruary Construction Unchanged from Prior Month
At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $486.7 billion, new construction starts in February were essentially the same as January’s amount, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial. After the strong finish to last year, the construction start statistics have shown lackluster activity during the first two months of 2014. The flat pace for total construction…
Read MoreHousing Starts Hold Steady in February
Nationwide housing starts were virtually unchanged in February, inching down 0.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 907,000 units, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau.
Read MoreConstruction Employment Increases
Construction employment expanded in 195 metro areas, declined in 90 and was stagnant in 54 between January 2013 and January 2014, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted, however, that despite the gains construction employment remained below peak levels in all but 21 metro areas.
Read MoreHighway Trust Fund Losing Steam Fast
According to the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA), the U.S. Department of Transportation updated its monthly snapshot projection for when the Highway Trust Fund will have to slow payouts to states for road and bridge projects, and the situation gets worse with each report.
Read MoreARTBA Program Advocates for Transportation Issues
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) announced the start-up of the Transportation Investment Advocacy Center (TIAC), a first-of-its kind, dynamic education program and internet-based information resource. The program is aimed at helping private citizens, legislators, organizations and businesses successfully grow transportation infrastructure resources at the state and local levels through the legislative and ballot initiative processes.
Read MoreDeere Again Named Among Most Ethical Companies
For the eighth consecutive year, Deere & Co. has been included on Ethisphere Institute’s “World’s Most Ethical Companies” list. The research-based Ethisphere Institute is dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability.
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