By Ellen Smith ALJ David Barbour upheld eight citations issued against Northshore Mining Co.’s mine in Silver Bay, Minn., and vacated one guarding citation for lack of fair notice. The Secretary and company settled 25 additional violations stemming from multiple inspections that occurred between January 2013 and August 2013 for fines totaling $27,626, down from MSHA’s $79,023 in proposed penalties.…
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Full Court Press on Fatals
By Randy K. Logsdon Just in case you’ve been locked up in a cave for the last nine months or so, MSHA has responded to an increase in the number of fatal injury incidents that have been occurring in the metal/non-metal segment of the mining industry.
Read MoreCemex Steps Up Environmental Responsibility
By Mark S. Kuhar For the third consecutive year, Cemex has been recognized in the CDP Latin America Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) as one of the top eight companies in data disclosure related to environmental and CO2 emissions performance. CDP, formerly Carbon Disclosure Project, is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to…
Read MoreFebruary Construction Starts Jump 16 Percent
Three New Projects Valued In Excess Of $1 Billion Each; Highway And Bridge Work Advances 12 Percent. By Mark S. Kuhar
Read MoreYou Can’t Inspect Here! How Far Reaching is MSHA’s Jurisdiction?
By Donna Vetrano Pryor Have you noticed a recent trend of MSHA inspectors issuing citations to delivery truck drivers at the mine office or the shop? These citations range from alleged training violations (for the drivers) to allegations of failure to chock tires while in the mine’s parking lot. This begs the question, who and what is covered under the…
Read MorePermitting – April 2015
McCook Subject to Seismic Monitoring Northwestern University researchers will continue monitoring blasting operations at Hanson Material Service’s quarry in McCook, Ill. Scientists have been recording seismic activity since last year in two locations, but data is insufficient so far to present a report, according to the Chicago Tribune. Village officials wanted to make residents aware blasting will resume after it…
Read MoreHow to Co-Exist With NIMBYs
Making Objective, Logical, Fact-Based Arguments Is the Best Way To Counter The Mixed Messages Of NIMBY Groups. By Thomas J. Roach
Read MoreEmployee Engagement – What Is It And Does It Matter?
Having Employees Motivated And Involved Is A Key To Success at Today’s Successful Quarry Operations. By Steve Schumacher
Read MoreChasing The Elusive ‘Zero Incidents’
A Study Of OMG Midwest Employees Shows They Prefer Face-To-Face Communication and Safety Training Where Small Group Discussion Can Take Place. By Joe McGuire
Read MoreMillennials Drive Less
The latest evidence of the generational shift is a new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) Education Fund and the Frontier Group that shows young people born roughly between 1983 and 2000 are continuing to be less car-dependent than their parents even as they age and the economy improves. Between 2001 and 2009, there was a 23 percent decline in the…
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