Charleston, W.Va., lawyer James McHugh, with the Chris Pence Law Firm has joined the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) as deputy assistant secretary for policy. McHugh will head the agency temporarily until Wayne Palmer is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. McHugh has represented clients before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission and the Occupational Safety and…
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Littler welcomes Adele Abrams as senior counsel
Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, announced the addition of Adele L. Abrams as senior counsel in its expanding Washington, D.C. office. “Adele brings over three decades of legal experience, with a significant focus on safety, health and employment law. Her extensive background as a safety professional and trainer, along with her leadership skills, makes her…
Read MoreDenios offers new non-sparking tools
Kentucky-based Denios now offers a new line of non-sparking tools to bring vital safety and reliability to locations with higher risk of fire or explosion. Crafted from high-quality, non-ferrous materials including aluminum bronze, phosphor bronze and brass, beryllium copper, or copper-nickel metals, they are designed to prevent spark generation, making them ideal for areas where flammable vapors, gases, or dust…
Read MoreSo you got some bad paper. Now what?
This month, I want to go back to basics and talk about the process and considerations that might drive a mine operator’s decision to challenge an MSHA citation or order. As you know, the Mine Act requires an inspector to issue a citation or order if he believes an operator “has violated this Act, or any mandatory health or safety…
Read MoreA Safety Soaker
Waterblasting, according to Jetstream, takes more than just water – there are key elements of the task that require not only efficient work, but also proper safety and training. By John Schaer There are instances in life when standards may be set too high. However, when it comes to waterblasting and handling water jets powerful enough to cut through the…
Read MoreCauses and prevention of conveyor fires
An enormous part of worker safety is the prevention of hazardous situations at the mine site – especially those areas where risks are highest. There is always room to improve that level of safety, and behind that is understanding more about risk mitigation. To create a fire there must be three elements: oxygen, heat and fuel (also known as “the…
Read MoreWhy do environmental and mining professionals need to know about a recent securities case?
By Rachel S. Aramburu and Krista K. McIntyre In response to the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Congress passed the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to combat securities fraud and increase market transparency. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the agency that delegated enforcement of these acts,…
Read MoreThe strength of Twin Branch
It was once a quietly operated surface operation, like many of its contemporaries in southern West Virginia. Today, under the ownership of Coal-Mac and Mitch Potter, it is in its prime and exemplifies a safe, efficient, well-organized operation that others look to as an example of how to do things well. By Donna Schmidt Coal-Mac was once the only purely…
Read MoreKicking the tires
Load and haul means more than just hardware, capacities and cycles. NAM recently talked to the team at BKT about the tires that make the entire load and haul fleet move – and how to keep them moving. Edited by Donna Schmidt Making the most of your load and haul fleet, and keeping haul roads they operate on optimally designed…
Read MoreCREATING AN EFFECTIVE DUST MANAGEMENT PLAN
When it comes to DMPs, what works for one mine or quarry might not apply to another – but there are ways for any operation to ensure success. By Michael Kelley, president, BossTek A dust management plan (DMP) is very specific to the industry and application. For example, one site’s needs may look vastly different from that of a port.…
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