Michael T. Heenan
Protecting yourself from misinterpretations in legal matters
Words follow you – especially words you have written and words written about you. Legal cases are won or lost on words. In today’s world, emails and other writings are readily accessible to anyone who initiates a legal action. This… Keep Reading
The role of machine guards
A 12-lb. piece of metal, rotating rapidly in a small lathe, broke loose and killed a machine operator. This was not the first time a piece of metal broke loose, but it was the first incident that caused injury. And,… Keep Reading
Trespassers at mines
Two teenagers swim in an abandoned quarry. A property owner who leases his land to a mine operator enters without authorization to observe operations. Three youngsters wander onto cement plant property and get into a hot clinker pile. Along an… Keep Reading
MSHA workplace exams
Has an MSHA inspector talked to you about examining “working places?” Inspectors have been told to explain a policy update and MSHA’s enforcement intentions regarding evaluating operator compliance with workplace examination requirements. MSHA says good examinations prevent accidents. Under workplace… Keep Reading
Who’s responsible?
Suppose someone orders a miner to do something the miner says is unsafe. What happens if the miner refuses and is then disciplined or discharged? Perhaps there was neither a safety hazard nor a violation. Or, maybe there was a… Keep Reading
The quarry or the trespasser: Who’s to blame?
A number of stories appear in newspapers every summer about people who are injured or killed after trespassing into active and abandoned quarries. The Express-Times based in Lehigh Valley, Pa., published an editorial Aug. 25 about actions quarry owners should… Keep Reading
Safety and morale
Mine operators rarely express appreciation for government regulation. Over the years, though, proactive management of mine safety and health, as well as related compliance with Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requirements, has increased dramatically. MSHA safety and health standards… Keep Reading
Miners and marijuana
As in other industries, mining companies must contend with employees and contractors using or being influenced by illegal drugs in the workplace. Marijuana is one of the most prominent substances detected in drug screens of job applicants. Mine operators have… Keep Reading
MSHA or OSHA?
Intense federal regulation of workplace safety and health began when Congress introduced civil penalties for mines with the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, and for other employers with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.… Keep Reading
