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Aggregate Industries hosts search-and-rescue exercise
Aggregate Industries and the International Rescue Dog Organization, based in Austria, put on a search-and-rescue test at the Aggregate Industries K-9 Testing Facility in Littleton, Mass. Rescue dogs and their handlers underwent rigorous testing, including a search for volunteer human "survivors” under piles of rubble. Aggregate Industries built the Littleton K-9 Testing Facility in 2010, when the company first hosted a similar event with the Massachusetts Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team. The course included specially designed rubble piles to replicate situations in which dogs must locate buried survivors. Dogs were tested in three different search disciplines: rubble, area search and tracking. “To be able to focus in the chaotic environment of a disaster site, search-and-rescue dogs need to be comfortable working on rubble piles of collapsed buildings,” says Debora Ash, operational leader for Canine Alert Search Teams, which hosted the overall event. “This can only be achieved by training and testing exercises like the one in Littleton." Keep Reading
MSHA says OSHA standard meets its own requirements
MSHA issued a clarification that mine operators who meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) hazard communication standard are in compliance with MSHA’s hazard communication standard. According to an MSHA press release, OSHA recently published an update to its Hazard Communication Standard, incorporating the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Major changes to OSHA’s HazCom standard include a new system of classifying types and degrees of hazards, changes to labeling requirements and changes to the Safety Data Sheet, previously called the Material Safety Data Sheet. “We recognize that many mines already receive safety data sheets and labels for hazardous chemicals that are developed in accordance with OSHA’s revised standard," says Joe Main, MSHA's assistant secretary of labor. "We also recognize that mine operators may be required to develop safety data sheets and labels compliant with OSHA’s standard in order to transport, import or export hazardous chemicals because of the transition to the global classification and labeling system. This compatibility is a win-win." Although OSHA’s… Keep Reading
New MSHA tool allows mines to measure S&S violation rates
MSHA launched an online tool, the S&S Rate Calculator, to enable mine operators who implement a corrective-action program to determine if their mine is successfully reducing its significant and substantial (S&S) violations. According to MSHA, the S&S Rate Calculator is an enhancement to the two-year-old Pattern of Violations (POV) Monitoring Tool, which allows users to measure a mine’s performance against MSHA’s specific screening criteria for violations. The S&S Rate Calculator allows users to determine a mine’s rate of S&S violations for any specific date range. Users need the mine’s seven-digit identification number to find data. “It is the mine operator’s responsibility to track its violation and injury histories to determine whether it needs to take action to comply with mine safety laws, protect miners and not trigger a POV notice,” says Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for MSHA. “Operators who implement a corrective action program can use this tool, which complements the POV-monitoring tool, to track their progress and make sure a corrective-action program is effectively addressing the mine’s… Keep Reading
Sany America names dealer in Texas
Century Machinery was named a Sany America excavator dealer, covering west Texas. “Texas is a very important market for excavators in terms of traditional earthworks as well as emerging markets,” says Bill Step, regional manager at Sany America. “This partnership allows us to help address more and more customer needs in this market." Keep Reading
Kobelco names sales manager for national accounts
Kobelco Construction Machinery USA appointed Randy Hall as sales manager for national accounts. Hall will spearhead the company's efforts in establishing preferred supplier agreements with key national accounts and leverage his experience and contacts to help the company's brand. He will work from his home office in Fayette, Ala. Keep Reading
Housing still leading upturn in construction starts
New construction starts are forecasted to rise 6 percent this year to $506 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction. This is the same increase rate for total construction starts that was predicted last October, and this follows the 8 percent gain that took place in 2012. "The recovery for construction continues to unfold in a selective manner, proceeding against the backdrop of the sluggish U.S. economy," says Robert Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction. "While the degree of uncertainty affecting the economy seems to have eased a bit from last year, tight government financing continues to exert a dampening effect on both the economy and the construction industry. "On the positive side for construction, the demand for housing remains strong; market fundamentals for commercial building are strengthening; and lending standards for commercial real estate loans continue to ease gradually. On balance, the recovery for construction is making progress, but at a single-digit pace given the mix of pluses and minuses by major sector." According to McGraw-Hill Construction, single-family housing… Keep Reading
Sany America names dealer in Illinois, Indiana
Chicago Machinery Co. was named a Sany America excavator dealer covering a 150-mile radius surrounding Chicago in northern Illinois and northern Indiana. Keep Reading
Rail-Veyor names sales and marketing vice president
Frank Ward was appointed vice president of sales and marketing at Rail-Veyor Technologies Global Inc., which produces bulk material-handling systems for surface and underground applications. According to Rail-Veyor, Ward is a veteran executive in the heavy-haul rail OEM industry, with more than 35 years of global sales and marketing experience. Before joining Rail-Veyor, Ward was the vice president of international sales for seven years at Electro-Motive Diesel. Keep Reading
Dump truck bodies manufacturer hires manager
Truck Bodies & Equipment International Inc. (TBEI) added Bob Lanshe as territory manager for the south central United States. Lanshe will be based in Texas, and will cover Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas for the Crysteel, DuraClass and Rugby brands. Keep Reading
