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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
Atlas Copco opens configuration center in Ohio
Representatives from Atlas Copco Construction Equipment gathered earlier this month for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at their new configuration center in Independence, Ohio. According to a company press release, the 150-ft.-long facility was built across from an existing Atlas Copco service center. Staff in the 9,000-sq.-ft. center will assemble hydraulic attachments and Weda submersible pumps. The existing service center will continue to refurbish and provide other technical services. “Placing the configuration center at the Independence location makes shipping sense,” says Rock Stacy, Ohio operations manager for Atlas Copco Construction Equipment. “One-third of the U.S. makes up more than 59 percent of the market’s ‘weight footprint' of hydraulic attachment customers, basically from Illinois to the Atlantic coast.” Keep Reading
Talbert adds director of materials
Talbert Manufacturing hired Rick Myers as director of materials. Myers will oversee deliveries, material purchases, warranty fulfillment and aftermarket parts. He is also responsible for budgets, employee training and planning in those areas. Myers has held a range of leadership positions during his 28 years in operations management. Most recently, he was the operations and purchasing manager at Jost International, a manufacturer of fifth wheels, landing gears, kingpins and other trucking-related products. Keep Reading
Philippi-Hagenbuch names Swank president
Danette Swank has been promoted to president at Philippi-Hagenbuch Inc. She previously served the company as vice president of internal operations and has been involved in Philippi-Hagenbuch operations since 1997, having worked in the administration, finance, human resources, marketing and operations departments. According to a company press release, Swank has been involved in a number of projects during her tenure. She oversaw the 20,000-sq.-ft. expansion of a manufacturing facility, streamlined communications between the company's departments and was active in contract negotiations and corporate strategic planning. Former President LeRoy Hagenbuch will remain as chief engineer, working with customers on their needs while focusing on Philippi-Hagenbuch's research and development capabilities, intellectual property and new equipment inventions and design. Keep Reading
Practicing what you preach
MSHA inspectors are finding fewer hazards at Conmat Inc., and the hazards they are finding are less severe than the ones they used to come across at the operation's limestone quarries in northwest Illinois. So what's making the difference? It's difficult to pin the improvements to one specific change, but Conmat safety director Shawn Meier largely credits the institution and practice of a concept called Peer Review Check for the reduction of hazards. According to Meier, the goal of Peer Review Check is to bring miners together to inspect and check operations before starting, resuming or imposing major changes to operations. "The MSHA inspector we had last year thought it was one of the best ideas he's seen put in place," says Meier, whose company is based in Freeport, Ill. "He asked for a copy of our Peer [Review] Check sheets and if he could share them with other contractors or quarries. I told him that's what it's all about." According to Conmat, its number of Significant & Substantial (S&S)… Keep Reading
