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Making MSHA a partner and not an adversary
Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), sat down with Pit & Quarry by phone late last month to reflect on his three years at MSHA. We asked Main how aggregate producers, manufacturers and MSHA can work better together to make relationships, which sometimes seem so adversarial, more like partnerships. "I've tried to bring a philosophy of working with people to achieve safer mines," Main says. "From the outset, I began to have a lot of discussions with folks in the mining community; folks at the national level; the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA); and other key players. But I branched out pretty quickly, meeting with the state aggregate associations. We've been doing that since I arrived here." Main says communication is at the core of his approach as MSHA's assistant secretary of labor. He believes having open exchanges with producers, sharing what MSHA is doing and exactly why it is implementing something has brought more accountability to an agency that… Keep Reading
Pinniger retiring after 16 years with NSSGA
Joy Pinniger is stepping down as NSSGA president and CEO effective Nov. 2. Pinniger plans to retire and relocate for at least part of each year to live with her husband in England. “I know I speak for the board, our members and our staff in expressing our decidedly mixed feelings about accepting Joy’s decision to leave," says Ron Summers, NSSGA board of directors chairman. "We would have preferred her to stay here and continue leading NSSGA, as she has done an outstanding job for the association and the industry for nearly 16 years. Yet we are also happy for her in her recent marriage to a British citizen, and anticipated that this would cause the couple to soon make a decision on their future location." Pinniger joined NSSGA in 1996. According to Summers, she helped her membership and staff achieve success over the years by building the association’s strength, which was instrumental in achieving public policy goals. "With diplomatic leadership, Joy’s policy, management and motivational strength has helped our members reinforce… Keep Reading
Special guest to help kick off MINExpo
Nevada Lieutenant Gov. Brian Krolicki will help kick off this month's MINExpo in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, Sept. 24 at 8:30 a.m. in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Krolicki will join National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn and other MINExpo officials, including Gregory Boyce, chairman and CEO at Peabody Energy; Robert Evans, chairman and president of Norwest Corp.; Francis McAllister, chairman and CEO of Stillwater Mining Co.; Michael Sutherlin, president and CEO of Joy Global; and Michael McLanahan, chairman and CEO of McLanahan Corp. Exhibit halls will open at 9 a.m. following the ceremony. Keep Reading
Lattimore Materials celebrates safety milestone
Lattimore Materials Co., an aggregate industries U.S. company, recently surpassed the 2 million-hour mark without a lost-time injury. "We commend Lattimore for its accomplishment and unwavering attention to safety," says Bernard Terver, president and CEO of Aggregate Industries U.S. "Our employees have shown great commitment to implementing our universal safety measures. We're proud of their accomplishments and look forward to continued excellence." Keep Reading
More miners receiving job reinstatements after registering complaints
The number of requests for temporary reinstatements MSHA submitted on behalf of miners who filed discrimination complaints more than tripled from 2007-2009 to 2010-2012, increasing from 22 to 71. The numbers from the 2010-2012 period are through July 31, 2012. Additionally, MSHA filed 70 complaints alleging mine safety discrimination from 2010 to 2012 – up from 39 for 2007-2009. MSHA cites its own stepped-up efforts to educate miners about their safety and health rights, a more prompt and thorough investigation of discrimination complaints, and taking legal action with the help of department attorneys as key sources of the increases. "All miners have the right to a safe workplace, and the right to identify hazardous conditions and refuse unsafe work without fear of discrimination or retaliation," says Joe Main, MSHA's assistant secretary of labor. "Since I arrived at MSHA nearly three years ago, one of my top goals has been to educate miners about those rights and protections, and to rigorously enforce them." Issues relating to fears of discrimination and retaliation… Keep Reading
Screen Machine president talks jobs, regulations at RNC
Steven Cohen, president of portable plant manufacturer Screen Machine Industries of Licking County, Ohio, took center stage at the Republican National Convention last Wednesday. In a nearly three-minute speech, Cohen focused on small businesses and many of the challenges they face, including overseas competition and patent protection. "As a manufacturer, our products are the heartbeat of our business," Cohen said. "We can't tolerate other companies stealing hard work without compensation. It can take several years and tens of thousands of dollars to achieve patent status. Once granted, we expect it to be protected." Cohen added that American products are often stolen and copied overseas for a fraction of the price, and that manufacturers exporting products on the cheap to the United States don't face the taxes and regulations American businesses do. "While we face higher government-imposed costs, cheaper imports from overseas companies flood our markets," Cohen said. "Unnecessary regulations and mandates imposed on businesses make our products more expensive to make and less competitive to sell." Watch Cohen's speech in… Keep Reading
NMA president a speaker at sustainability event
Hal Quinn, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, is among those slated to speak at a sustainability event titled, "2012 Sustainability Summit: Sustainability & Shareholder Value, Essential Commitments for Tomorrow." The summit, which is expected to bring together hundreds of executive-level decision-makers, will be held Oct. 17-19 at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Others slated to speak are Frank McAllister, chairman and CEO of Stillwater Mining Co.; Steve Forbes, CEO and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media; and Jack Williams, president of XTO, an ExxonMobil subsidiary. Keep Reading
NSK names plant manager for Vermont facility
NSK Steering Systems America recently named Michael Allan plant manager for its steering systems facility in Bennington, Vt. Allan’s appointment follows a 22-year tenure serving NSK in England and Poland. The Vermont facility, along with one in Tennessee, is responsible for producing steering components, manual and electric steering columns, and electric power steering systems. Keep Reading
Size among enhancements on John Deere’s 460E ADT
After an introduction at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2011, the John Deere 460E ADT joins the 370E and 410E as part of the E-Series. John Deere is calling the 460E its largest, most operator-friendly truck ever built. The E-Series ADTs feature a John Deere PowerTech 13.5-liter IT4 engine with three power levels based on the model – 422 net hp, 443 net hp and 481 net hp. A ZF transmission includes a high-capacity retarder, eight forward gears and four reverse gears. In addition, the new hauler axles are designed for heavy-duty applications and include on-the-fly differential locks and outboard planetaries. Each axle is independently pressure lubed and filtered. E-Series axles use internal wet disc brakes that utilize independent cooling circuits. Keep Reading
