The average mining operator now spends $20,000 per year on citations and penalties. In this must-attend conference for cost-savings, learn how to reduce or eliminate fines with the added benefit of improved safety conditions. With increasing citations, this workshop will prepare you to handle Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspectors and their findings.
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With the departure of Alexander Acosta as Secretary of Labor, the Department immediately got an acting chief who is expected to more closely align with the White House. Meanwhile, the nominee to replace him, Eugene Scalia, is well known for his DOL and workplace safety-related law practice. What do these new leaders mean for OSHA and MSHA?
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A new Nevada law will soon prohibit employers from denying employment to job applicants who test positive for marijuana use in pre-employment drug testing. What does this mean for your company and its safety sensitive positions?
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The most recent Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Regulatory Agenda shows a further delay for the agency to finally promulgate long-awaited changes to its Chemical Accident Prevention Program, also known as the Risk Management Program (“RMP”). After Obama made major changes, the Trump EPA delayed them and now seeks to reverse them. Want to understand this complicated saga and learn what to expect? Read on.
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The nation’s largest drug testing laboratory, Quest Diagnostics, recently released its latest data on the the number of workers and job applicants who tested positive for drugs in the U.S. workforce. According to the data, marijuana use in the workforce climbed 10% last year to 2.3% according to an analysis of 10 million urine, saliva
Though we usually stick to safety and health, our colleague’s recent environmental column caught our eyes for our mining industry readers. As Megan Caldwell wrote in a recent issue of Rock Products, the hardrock mining financial assurance saga is far from over.
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MSHA may have its eyes on respirable dust. A focus on coal dust in recent years may be shifting to include silica. What started as a concern primarily in coal mines may soon lead to stricter rules and enforcement that affect both coal and metal/non-metal operators.
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An article last week by Thomas Black at Bloomberg News reveals that Google Glass – and other virtual reality “wearables” are finding their place at work even if they didn’t initially succeed with consumers. The implications for safety could be significant.
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With congressional, media, and MSHA pressure to focus on black lung disease, mine operators should expect stringent enforcement of coal dust standards and potentially new regulation, as well. In the latest edition of Coal Age magazine, I take a look at the latest developments and offer some thoughts on how MSHA may respond.
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As I write in the current issue of Rock Products magazine, mining is an industry approaching zero, with record low fatality rates. But, enforcement doesn’t always follow risk. Mines account for only 0.5% of U.S. workplace fatalities but have 40% of federal safety dollars. Even within mining, mines with fantastic safety records are just as likely to get intensive MSHA inspections as those with severe problems. Is there a better way?
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