MSHA released a mid-year summary of mining deaths across the country. During the first half of 2014, 22 miners were killed in accidents in the mining industry. The toll represents an increase in the mid-year fatality count and reverses a decline in fatal accidents seen in recent years.
Read MoreCategory: Safety & Health
300-Ft. Highwall Not Controlled; Miners Risked Injury From Rock Falls
By Ellen Smith A company was found to have used unsafe mining methods where miners worked around a 230-to-300-ft. highwall, despite the use of spotters and frequent inspections to look for potentially dangerous conditions, according to a recent Commission decision.
Read MorePrinciple Number Five: Safety is a Given
By Randy K. Logsdon This is the fifth in a series of six columns exploring traditional principles of safety. Previous parts were entitled: “Safety First,” “Safety is Just Common Sense,” “Compliance = Safety” and “Accidents are a Matter of (Bad) Luck.” – Ed.
Read MoreGuarding Violations Not ‘Flagrant’ Violations Under Mine Act
By Ellen Smith A limestone operator’s guarding violations did not constitute a “reckless disregard” or flagrant violations of mine safety standards, and MSHA’s total proposed fines of $547,100 for six violations of §56.14107(a), and one violation of §56.14112(b), were reduced to a total of $44,000 by Review Commission Judge David Simonton.
Read MorePrinciple Number Four: Accidents Are A Matter Of (Bad) Luck
By Randy K. Logsdon This is the fourth in a series of six columns exploring traditional principles of safety. Previous parts were entitled: “Safety First,” “Safety is Just Common Sense, ” and “Compliance = Safety.” – Ed.
Read MoreMSHA Issues Mine Fatality Data; Convenes Meeting
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) released a summary of U.S. mining deaths that occurred during the first quarter of 2014. From Jan. 1 to March 31, eight miners died in accidents in the U.S. mining industry. Three were killed in coal mining accidents and five in metal and nonmetal mining accidents. The previous quarter…
Read MoreOperators Must File Accident Reports of Contractors Under Their Control
By Ellen Smith The unambiguous language of accident reporting requirements of §50.20(a) impose an unconditional duty of operators to submit accident reports to MSHA when contractor employees are injured at the operator’s mine when those employees are under the control of the operator, according to a ruling of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Read MorePrinciple Number Three: Compliance = Safety
This is the third in a series of six columns exploring traditional principles of safety. Previous parts were entitled: “Safety First” and “Safety is Just Common Sense.” – Ed.
Read MoreMSHA Issues Preliminary Mine Safety Data for 2013
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration released preliminary data for calendar year 2013, updating the “Mine Safety and Health at a Glance” page. The charts include information on inspections; violations; number of mines and miners; and fatality and injury rates for coal, metal and nonmetal, and all mining.
Read MoreJudge Hammers Company for Firing Worker Where Boss Violated LOTO
By Ellen Smith ALJ Jacqueline Bulluck raised a proposed fine of $30,000 to $45,000 against a company for firing a known whistleblower after the company tried to hold the rank-and-file miner responsible for his supervisor’s breach of the lock-out tag-out policy.
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