Source: http://safety-health.jacksonkelly.com/us-district-court/
Timestamp: 2017-09-19 13:34:01
Document Index: 82643064

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 50', 'art 50', 'ART 50', '§ 56', '§ 104', '§ 105']

Occupational Safety and Health News Alert: ALJ and Review Commission Decisions
Continue reading "TWO KEY COMMISSION DECISIONS REGARDING S&S AND FLAGRANT" »
Posted on September 07, 2016 at 12:32 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions | Permalink | Comments (0)
In a recent decision, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission reversed an Administrative Law Judge decision and vacated four Section 104(b) orders. In Hibbing Taconite Co., Docket Nos. LAKE 2013-231, et al. (Rev. Comm. March 3, 2016), the Commission found that the inspector had “failed to set abatement times that were based upon those times reasonably required for abatement.”
Continue reading "REVIEW COMMISSION VACATES SECTION 104(B) ORDERS AFTER FINDING ABUSE OF DISCRETION" »
Posted on March 10, 2016 at 12:12 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions, MSHA Compliance | Permalink | Comments (0)
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) has touted its Part 50 audit process as an important tool in scrutinizing mine operator’s reporting of occupational injuries and illnesses. A recent Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) decision involving a Part 50 audit, however, highlights significant flaws in the process. In Northshore Mining Co., Docket No. LAKE 2014-219-M (ALJ Barbour Oct. 21, 2015), the ALJ found three instances where MSHA alleged reportable injuries occurred were, in fact, not reportable, and vacated the resulting citations.
Continue reading "RECENT ALJ DECISION HIGHLIGHTS FLAWS IN PART 50 AUDIT PROCESS" »
Posted on November 11, 2015 at 12:06 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions, Coal Mines, Metal/Nonmetal Mines | Permalink | Comments (0)
Continue reading "WHERE THERE’S SMOKE THERE’S FIRE? THE D.C. CIRCUIT CONFIRMS THE COMMISSION’S ADOPTION OF THE SECRETARY’S INTERPRETATION OF “MINE FIRE”" »
Posted on August 05, 2015 at 05:53 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions, Coal Mines | Permalink | Comments (0)
ALJ DISMISSES PATTERN OF VIOLATIONS CHARGE AGAINST BRODY MINING, LLC.
On November 3, 2014, Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) William B. Moran issued an Order Dismissing Pattern Charges, in Brody Mining, LLC (“Brody”), Docket Nos. WEVA 2013-370, et al., finding that the Secretary of Labor’s pattern of violation (“POV”) notice issued to Brody on October 24, 2013, violated procedural due process. In doing so, the ALJ found that not only did the Secretary’s regulation involving a pattern notice fail to identify what constitutes a pattern even after the pattern notice was issued and the litigation challenging that notice instituted, the Secretary failed to identify, beyond general and vague statements, the basis for his pattern claim. The ALJ likened the Secretary’s pattern notice and position in litigation, to an “unfair card game,” where the rules were announced only after the game had been played. As the ALJ noted, such “rules are antithetical to procedural due process.”
Continue reading "ALJ DISMISSES PATTERN OF VIOLATIONS CHARGE AGAINST BRODY MINING, LLC." »
Posted on November 03, 2014 at 01:21 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions, Coal Mines, Metal/Nonmetal Mines | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
MSHA ISSUANCE OF CITATIONS PRIOR TO PREOPERATIONAL INSPECTIONS OF EQUIPMENT COMES UNDER INCREASED SCRUTINY
Under the Mine Safety and Health regulations, an operator is required to conduct a preshift examination of all mobile equipment prior to using the equipment during a shift. See, e.g., 30 C.F.R. §§ 56/57.14100, 77.1606. Any defects observed must be corrected in a timely manner, and defective equipment must be removed from service. During MSHA inspections, disputes between the operators and the inspectors can arise over whether an observed condition is a defect or whether a piece of equipment is ready for use. On this latter claim, a number of decisions have reached differing conclusions on the validity of issued citations when the existence of a defect is acknowledged, but the operator argues that the defect would have been identified and corrected during the preshift exam – but no such exam had yet taken place. Some Administrative Law Judges ("ALJs") have adopted MSHA’s strict liability approach that the existence of a defect merits a citation unless the equipment has been tagged out. Other ALJs have found that the operator must have an opportunity to conduct a preshift exam. See, e.g., Wake Stone Co., 33 FMSHRC 1205 (May 2011) (ALJ Gill).
Continue reading "MSHA ISSUANCE OF CITATIONS PRIOR TO PREOPERATIONAL INSPECTIONS OF EQUIPMENT COMES UNDER INCREASED SCRUTINY" »
Posted on February 20, 2014 at 12:05 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Continue reading "REVIEW COMMISSION ANSWERS THE QUESTION OF HOW LOW AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE CAN GO ON A § 104(d) ACTION" »
Posted on August 01, 2013 at 03:18 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions, Coal Mines, Metal/Nonmetal Mines | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Continue reading "RECENT REVIEW COMMISSION DECISION LEAVES MANY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED ON “REPEATED FLAGRANT”" »
Posted on April 05, 2013 at 04:14 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions, Coal Mines, Metal/Nonmetal Mines | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE THERE’S FIRE? THE COMMISSION ADOPTS THE SECRETARY’S INTERPRETATION OF “MINE FIRE”
On February 28, 2013, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (the “Commission”) issued its decision in The American Coal Co., (Docket No. LAKE 2010-408-R), finding that the existence of a “mine fire” does not require the presence of flame. The Commission also concluded that the Secretary of Labor (the “Secretary”) reasonably interpreted “mine fire” to include “both events marked by flaming combustion and events marked by smoldering combustion that reasonably has the potential to burst into flames.”
Continue reading "WHERE THERE’S SMOKE THERE’S FIRE? THE COMMISSION ADOPTS THE SECRETARY’S INTERPRETATION OF “MINE FIRE”" »
Posted on March 15, 2013 at 03:08 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions, Coal Mines | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
SEVENTH CIRCUIT REVERSES COMMISSION DECISION ON TEMPORARY REINSTATEMENT
For a second time this year, a federal circuit court has reversed a Commission decision on the issue of temporary reinstatement for discrimination claims under the Mine Act. Temporary reinstatement comes into play when a miner believes he or she has been wrongfully terminated for raising health or safety concerns in the workplace. When a miner brings this type of discrimination complaint against a mine operator under § 105(c) of the Mine Act, MSHA conducts an investigation to assess the merits of the complaint. While the investigation is pending, MSHA has the authority to seek temporary reinstatement of the miner. Reinstatement can mean that the miner returns to their former job, but more often, the reinstatement agreed upon is “economic,” meaning that the miner is paid and receives benefits as usual, but does not actually return to work.
Continue reading "SEVENTH CIRCUIT REVERSES COMMISSION DECISION ON TEMPORARY REINSTATEMENT" »
Posted on October 30, 2012 at 03:59 PM in ALJ and Review Commission Decisions, Coal Mines, Metal/Nonmetal Mines | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)