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Michael T. Heenan

Mike Heenan, who wrote the monthly “MSHA & The Law” column appearing in Pit & Quarry from 1996 to 2017, was a preeminent authority on mine safety law.

Remembering Mike Heenan, a mining industry advocate

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The mining community lost a great friend and advocate this month with the passing of Mike Heenan, a longtime Pit & Quarry columnist who was a preeminent authority on mine safety law. Keep Reading

Uncovering significant and substantial violations

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Before the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) can issue an unwarrantable failure citation, the violation must be significant and substantial. Keep Reading

Legal counsel in accident investigations

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All fatalities at a mine must be reported, even if due to natural causes or non-mine events. Keep Reading

Thanks, Mike

Mike Heenan is moving toward semi-retirement, so taking over the column are his very able colleagues Margo Lopez and William Doran. Keep Reading

MSHA document demands upheld

MSHA regularly is entitled to see mine records specifically mandated by law, such as those related to mine identification, contractor identification and more. Keep Reading

Tug of War: MSHA’s power to vacate citations

MSHA can vacate a citation anytime by law and thereby dissolve any related penalty. Keep Reading

Defining ‘negligence per se’

Negligence per se is a legal concept employed in lawsuits to cement a claim for damages. Keep Reading

Advances in safety management lowers fatality rate

Safety in metal and nonmetal mines in the first three months of 2016 improved over 2015. Keep Reading

Mandatory training contributes to record-low fatalities

Mining deaths have been on a long downward trend. The 28 deaths that occurred in mines in 2015 were an all-time low. A number of factors contribute to this continuous improvement. Conscientious operator implementation of mandatory safety training requirements is… Keep Reading

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