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Vulcan unloads Wisconsin quarries
Vulcan Materials Co. sold its final four quarries in Wisconsin as part of its strategic long-term plan, reports the Birmingham Business Journal. Three quarries – in the cities of Franklin, Dousman and Racine – were sold to Payne & Dolan Inc. A fourth quarry in Sussex, Wis., was sold to Lannon Stone Products Inc. Keep Reading
Charlotte mayor named secretary of transportation
Anthony Foxx, mayor of Charlotte, N.C., was sworn in as the nation's 17th secretary of transportation during a private ceremony at the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) headquarters. Foxx was confirmed for the position in a unanimous U.S. Senate vote. "Safety will remain our top priority at DOT," Foxx wrote in a message to DOT employees. "At the same time, I will work to improve the efficiency and performance of our current transportation system while building the infrastructure we need for future generations." Before taking the position, Foxx served Charlotte as mayor for four years. According to a press release, he made transportation investments the centerpiece of Charlotte's job creation and economic recovery efforts. The investments included extending the LYNX light-rail system, expanding Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and starting the Charlotte Streetcar project. Photo: Anthony Foxx Keep Reading
Sany names dealer for key Texas areas
Harris County Rentals was named a Sany America excavator dealer in Texas, covering San Antonio, Austin and the oil fields area. Keep Reading
ContiTech purchases conveyor belt manufacturer
ContiTech Conveyor Belt Group acquired conveyor belt manufacturer Legg Co. Inc., based in Halstead, Kan. The acquisition gives ContiTech its own production facilities in the United States, as well as an established sales network in the U.S. and Canada. Keep Reading
NIOSH opens awards program to nominations
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2014 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards. The awards are given by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) to recognize effective practices in hearing loss prevention. The deadline for self-nominations is Sept. 6. The 2014 awards will be presented on March 14, 2014 at the 39th NHCA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Vulcan Materials Co. was awarded a Safe-in-Sound Award earlier this year for its implementation of a data-driven hearing loss prevention program. Keep Reading
Producers air MSHA grievances at hearing
Producers criticized MSHA at a House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee hearing June 21 in Bakersville, N.C., according to NSSGA. Ward Nye, Martin Marietta Materials' president and CEO and NSSGA's chairman of the board, provided a written statement at the hearing chaired by Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), urging MSHA to be more thoughtful about impacts on operators in future regulations. Nye pointed to a 2010 mandate that required guards to be added to many weight scales as a move that did not improve workplace safety yet cost operators millions of dollars. Wake Stone President Sam Bratton testified, recommending MSHA broaden its number of people involved in the conferencing process, that the agency communicate vacated citations on behalf of broader enforcement consistency and for an accountability audit of MSHA operations. Others who testified were Mark McNeely, vice president of LBM Industries; Jeff Stoll, safety and health manager for Quartz Corp.; and Marv Lichtenfels, deputy administrator of metal/nonmetal, who testified on MSHA's behalf. Lichtenfels defended MSHA’s approach to enforcement and took credit… Keep Reading
Report highlights aggregates’ contribution to economy
The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) published a technical briefing paper pointing to the contributions of the U.S. aggregates industry to infrastructure investment. SME also called for full funding of the nation's surface transportation programs. "Infrastructure improvements will require easy access to large quantities of quality aggregates," says David L. Kanagy, SME executive director. Click here to obtain a copy of the report. Keep Reading
Court upholds determination involving MSHA standard
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously agreed this week that failure to maintain emergency lifelines in a manner miners can use effectively is a Significant and Substantial (S&S) violation, regardless of the likelihood of a mine emergency occurring at the time of the violation. The circuit court upheld a Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission determination from June 7 that a mining company’s failures regarding emergency lifelines were in violation of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. “Mine emergency protections need to be in place before an emergency occurs,” says Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for MSHA. “The court recognized that the absence of such protections is a serious matter, to be taken seriously if miners are to have these protections when they need them the most.” Keep Reading
Weir develops new line of crushers, screens
Weir Minerals launched its Enduron range of crushers, screens and feeders for the mining, sand and aggregate industries. According to the company, the new equipment extends its existing line of mill circuit products. The Enduron line will be sold and serviced through Weir's existing global teams. Keep Reading
