The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced that federal inspectors issued 176 citations during special impact inspections in May at 10 coal mines and seven metal and nonmetal mines.
MSHA conducted impact inspections at mines in Alabama, California, Kentucky, Illinois, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
The agency inspected operations owned and operated by Martin Marietta Materials, Buzzi Unicem, Cemex, Eagle Materials, and others. More than 70 citations were issued, although the Cemex operation that was visited, Kosmos Cement Co., did not receive a single citation. The Martin Marietta operation visited was a Magnesia Specialties operation.
Monthly impact inspections began in force in April 2010 at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to their poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns. MSHA inspectors have conducted 951 impact inspections and issued 14,422 citations, 1,247 orders and 56 safeguards since these inspections began.