On April 16, 2024, the Mine Safety & Health Administration (“MSHA”) released its final rule for Respirable Crystalline Silica (“RCS”) for preliminary viewing, and it was published in the Federal Register on April 18, 2024....more
4/23/2024
/ Coal Mines ,
Corrective Actions ,
Final Rules ,
Health Care Providers ,
Medical Examinations ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
Mining ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Silica ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
Most, if not all, operators have at one time or another received a 104(A) citation from MSHA. While operators may be aware the basic orders MSHA can issue, such as unwarrantable failures, there are numerous, lesser known...more
MSHA’s published enforcement initiatives and Fatalgrams are an easy place to start when improving mine safety and proactively preparing sites for inspection, especially if you do your research. Reviewing MSHA’s most-cited...more
The panel that reviews mine safety and health cases has prevailed in recent federal court filings on the issue of whether it has the legal authority to approve settlements of penalties that MSHA reaches with mining employers....more
As MSHA continues to issue citations and orders, it is essential that mine operators are aware of their contest rights. Just as important, operators need to know how to contest MSHA issuances while adhering to contest process...more
The Mine Act of 1977 governs all mine operators and grants MSHA authority over the industry. It, along with the MINER Act of 2006, also specifically outline the rights of miners and operators. Yet, while the Mine Act directs...more
1/30/2017
/ Coal Mines ,
Employee Rights ,
Enforcement ,
Handbooks ,
Mine Act ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
MSHA ,
Operators ,
Safety Inspections ,
Webinars ,
Workplace Investigations ,
Workplace Safety
As we begin a new calendar year and look ahead to a new administration, industry should continue to stay informed as to MSHA’s regulatory agenda and enforcement initiatives. While MSHA will soon have new decision makers in...more
1/13/2017
/ Coal Mines ,
Enforcement ,
Industry Examinations ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
Mining ,
Operators ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Safety Inspections ,
Trump Administration ,
Webinars ,
Workplace Exam Standards
Regular MSHA inspections (aka E01 inspections) are commonplace for mines – an average of two to four inspections per year for surface and underground operations respectively. Yet, MSHA has in its arsenal a host of other...more
Independent contractors are a vital element to the mining industry. Mine operators call upon their expertise daily at mines around the country. But what happens when an independent contractor arrives at your mine site? This...more