Features
Mine fatality causes and prevention
Here’s a breakdown of the fatal U.S. mine accidents this year through Sept. 30: Coal mines ■ Four underground employees on foot were crushed by equipment in operation. ■ Two employees were killed by unblocked equipment they worked on. ■… Keep Reading
New life
A giant excavator at a Vulcan Materials operation gets a new engine with a little help from a California agency. The 13-year-old diesel hydraulic Hitachi EX2500-1 excavator working at Vulcan Materials’ Reliance sand-and-gravel pit in Irwindale, Calif., easily met air-quality… Keep Reading
Equipment mix
Improved market conditions create a need for new equipment at CalPortland’s Colton, Calif., operation. As one of the largest and oldest producers in the western United States, CalPortland Co. has irrevocably woven itself into American history with its rich, storied… Keep Reading
Like father, like son
A northeast Ohio quarry operator applies decades of on-the-job training from his mentor – his dad. One moment Kevin Keeney is on a wheel loader feeding a crusher. The next he’s doing light maintenance on miscellaneous equipment. Later, Keeney is… Keep Reading
P&Q Roundtable & Conference part one: Solution searching
Highway funding, safety and MSHA, and employment drove the conversation during one of two sessions at the annual Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference in Cleveland. Session one participants: Moderator: Kevin Yanik, Pit & Quarry Jack Ackerman, TCI Manufacturing Jeff… Keep Reading
New MSHA penalties
MSHA is amending civil penalty procedures. The agency says this is to promote consistency, objectivity and efficiency, and facilitate the resolution of enforcement issues. Really, though, MSHA is displeased many cases are initiated by operators who disagree with inspector findings,… Keep Reading
High demand: Pairing growth with deliverability
A Texas producer’s rapid growth puts a dealer’s serviceability to the test. The dirt in southwest Texas is as soft as baby powder, so a plant operator is bound to get an ear full of dirt when 40-mph winds come… Keep Reading
Spill no more
Limestone producer reduces costs, improves safety with innovative belt cleaner design. A Midwestern limestone supplier is reducing costs and improving safety by using a series of conveyor belt cleaners to help eliminate carryback and the problems it causes. North American… Keep Reading
Using DEF properly
A rundown of diesel exhaust fluid handling and an analysis of the events that led to its development. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established new emissions standards in 2010 requiring medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to significantly reduce engine emissions,… Keep Reading
