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 for recent years’ improvements in safety and compliance.
According to NSSGA, mention was made of operator fear related to enforcement retaliation as a reason why operators are reticent about publicly criticizing MSHA. Mica said any evidence of enforcement retaliation should be sent to him directly.
