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.
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FIRST LOOK – MARCH 2016
TOP NEWS Martin Marietta Has Record Fourth Quarter; Full-Year Martin Marietta Materials Inc. reported consolidated net sales of $780.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to $779.5 million in the previous year’s fourth quarter; and $3.3 billion for the full year, compared to $2.7 billion in 2014. Heritage aggregates business net sales were up 8 percent for the…
Read MoreSmall Iowa Operator Continues To Defy MSHA Citations, Orders
Review Commission ALJ Priscilla Rae assessed $30,000 in penalties against a recalcitrant sand and gravel operator, calling him to task for assaulting an MSHA inspector, and pointing out discrepancies between his stories and evidence submitted during the trial.
Read MoreMSHA Warns on Lockout-Tagout
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has penned the following letter to producers and maintenance personnel regarding effective lockout procedures. Dear Metal and Nonmetal Mine Operators, Since 2005, 28 metal and nonmetal miners have died in accidents in which electrical power was not disconnected and locked out or other energy sources were not controlled before work was begun on…
Read MoreOne Bad Apple
Aggregates producers are largely hard working, honest and follow the letter of the law. When it comes to MSHA inspections, no one likes the scrutiny, but being professionals, operations deal with it.
Read MoreFIRST LOOK – FEBRUARY 2016
TOP NEWS Vulcan Launches Customer Service Website Vulcan Materials Co. is empowering customers to take direct control of their account with the launch of MyVulcan.com, a new, online customer service center that allows customers to view tickets and orders, track orders and pay bills online. HeidelbergCement Focuses on Aggregates Improvement HeidelbergCement has started a “continuous improvement” program called Aggregates-CI in…
Read MoreMSHA’s POV Rule Challenged in Court
A district court judge in Southern Ohio will hear arguments on April 12 on whether the 6th U.S. Court of Appeals should hear the case against MSHA’s Pattern of Violations (POV) rule brought up by the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) and other associations.
Read MoreMSHA Issues Machinery Alert
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a safety alert related to using machinery. These types of injuries were the fourth most-common ones in the aggregates industry in 2014. Here is a message from Neal H. Merrifield, administrator for metal and nonmetal mine safety and health.
Read MoreMSHA Targets Quarry, Lime, Cement Segments With Impact Inspections
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced that federal inspectors issued 163 citations and five orders during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and seven metal and nonmetal mines in December 2015.
Read MorePlacing Dewatering Pump Close to Highwall Edge Garners Penalty
A Missouri limestone operator was ordered to pay a $6,300 fine by FMSHRC Judge Margaret Miller for an S&S violation of §56.15005 after an MSHA inspector found a dewatering pump located within 4 ½ ft. from the edge of a highwall with a 70-ft. drop. MSHA claimed there was a danger of an employee falling off the edge if they were…
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