MSHA announces results of March impact inspections

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 188 citations and two orders as a result of special impact inspections conducted at 13 coal mines and seven metal and nonmetal mines in March.

Begun in force in April 2010, the monthly inspections involve mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to their poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns. The following are the details of one mine's inspection:

MSHA began an impact inspection on March 16 at Georgia Stone Industries, Inc.'s Chelmsford Quarry in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. MSHA inspectors issued 21 citations and one order to the mine operator. A 104(g)(1) withdrawal order was issued for failure to adequately train three miners who were conducting workplace examinations. The serious hazards that were not identified or corrected as a result of the workplace examination failures included damaged ladders that were in use, openings in travelways that were not covered or otherwise protected, elevated work platforms without railings, and several exposed electrical conductors.

Since April 2010, MSHA has conducted 916 impact inspections and issued 14,139 citations, 1,246 orders and 56 safeguards.

Editor's Note: MSHA's Monthly Impact Inspection List for March 2015 is available online.