After stone, concrete is the world’s most widely used construction material. Yet answers to some fundamental questions about the microscopic structure and behavior of this ubiquitous material have remained elusive. As you know, concrete forms through the solidification of a mixture of water, gravel, sand and cement powder. Is the resulting glue material (known as cement hydrate, CSH) a continuous…
Read MoreDay: March 10, 2016
Five Minutes With Joe Main
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF LABOR FOR MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH JOSEPH A. MAIN TALKS IMPACT INSPECTIONS, LOW FATALITIES AND BOOTS ON THE GROUND. By Mark Kuhar Talk about MSHA’s monthly impact inspections. How are you targeting some of the operations you visit? We have criteria we use for selecting mines and this is something I put in place right after our…
Read MoreConsent Decree Filed Where Operator Threatened, Fired Gun Around Inspectors
U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle approved a consent decree for a permanent injunction against Andersen & Sons Gravel, and owner Eric Andersen, from preventing MSHA inspections at the company’s mining operation based in Clallam County, Wash.
Read MoreMouse Trap
As we proceed through a normal day we expect to encounter a certain amount of hazards. Most of these present low level risks and most are subject to control systems that are already in place and active. Just the same, we should pay attention to these as they occur (and whenever possible in advance). One of the tools that I…
Read MoreJanuary Construction Starts Rise 2 Percent
Housing Advances, Nonresidential Building Retreats Slightly; Highways Make Huge Jump. By Mark S. Kuhar
Read MoreStudy Seeks to Quantify Health Impact of Sand Mining
The Institute for Wisconsin’s Health, an independent, non-partisan public health institute, released a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) researching the potential health impacts of industrial sand mining in western Wisconsin.
Read MoreNew Silica Rule Pending White House Approval
This Is A Complex, Massive Set Of New Mandates For Employers That Have Silica In The Workplace. By Henry Chajet
Read MorePERMITTING – MARCH 2016
Vulcan Proceeding With Planning for California Quarry According to the Sierra Star, a Madera County, Calif., quarry proposed by Vulcan Materials Co. will, if approved, encompass 671 acres with 258 of it designated for a 400-ft.-deep quarry permitted for 100 years. It would be located near the southwest corner of Highways 41 and 145, about a mile west of Highway…
Read MoreThe Message in Merit Increases
Communication in the Area of Merit Increases is an Important Part of the Process. by Thomas J. Roach
Read MoreHow Do You Know If You Are A Good Leader?
There Are Some Tell-Tale Signs Of Good Leadership. Here’s What to Look For. Steve Schumacher
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