Joe Main
Surge in fourth-quarter accidents increases mining fatality rate
Forty-two miners died in work-related accidents at U.S. mines in 2013, according to preliminary data from MSHA. The 42 represent an increase of six compared with the 36 miners who died in 2012. Twenty-two of the 42 fatalities were in… Keep Reading
Nye, Main discuss several topics at NSSGA-MSHA meeting
Martin Marietta Materials CEO Ward Nye, chairman of NSSGA's board of directors, met Sept. 11 with MSHA's Joe Main on behalf of the association. MSHA's Patricia Silvey, deputy assistant for policy, and Marv Lichtenfels, acting administrator for metal/non-metal, accompanied Main.… Keep Reading
MSHA says OSHA standard meets its own requirements
MSHA issued a clarification that mine operators who meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) hazard communication standard are in compliance with MSHA’s hazard communication standard. According to an MSHA press release, OSHA recently published an update to its… Keep Reading
New MSHA tool allows mines to measure S&S violation rates
MSHA launched an online tool, the S&S Rate Calculator, to enable mine operators who implement a corrective-action program to determine if their mine is successfully reducing its significant and substantial (S&S) violations. According to MSHA, the S&S Rate Calculator is… Keep Reading
MSHA releases mid-year fatality report
Eighteen miners died in work-related accidents at U.S. mines during the first half of 2013, according to MSHA. Of the 18, nine were killed in the metal and nonmetal mining sector. One of the metal/nonmetal miners died in a fall… Keep Reading
Main issues statement praising industry’s mine safety strides
Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for MSHA, released a statement following recent visits with aggregate associations and operations in the Midwest and Southeast. Here's Main's full statement: One of my initiatives when I arrived at MSHA was to get… Keep Reading
Main addresses elimination of State Grants Program
Representatives from seven Midwest state aggregate associations and NSSGA met June 18 with Joe Main, MSHA's assistant secretary of labor, during an Indiana Mineral Aggregates Association meeting in Indianapolis. Three MSHA officials joined Main: Neal Merrifield, a metal/nonmetal administrator; Steve… Keep Reading
Three metal/nonmetal miners killed in year’s first quarter
Eleven miners died in accidents in both coal mining and metal and nonmetal mining during the first quarter of this year, according to MSHA. Three of the 11 fatal accidents occurred in metal and nonmetal mines. One metal/nonmetal miner died… Keep Reading
Rule allows MSHA to issue POV notice without potential POV notice
MSHA has developed a new rule to strengthen its pattern of violations (POV) program and ensure mine operators monitor and address the most hazardous safety problems in their mines. The rule allows MSHA to issue a pattern of violations notice… Keep Reading