Government Safety Regulations

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The National Mining Association (NMA) has asked a federal appeals court to review the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) regulation for the control of coal dust in underground coal mines, contending that the rule “embodies fundamental legal and technical infirmities in its scope, foundation and framework.”

Disciplining employees for violating safety and health rules is a critical component of any good safety and health program. OSHA's recent policy on employee discipline for violating safety and health rules undercuts the use of such discipline and encourages employees to consider possible claims for retaliation.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has released a final rule to lower miners' exposure to respirable coal mine dust in all underground and surface coal mines.

The following are two “letters of interpretation” from OSHA officials answering questions from the field regarding how OSHA’s newly revised hazard communication standard applies to combustible dust.

A rule to establish standards for combustible dust that’s been in the works since 2009 is scheduled to move closer to completion in 2014, with a proposed draft regulation due this spring.

In the OSHA budget justification the agency laid out some of its plans for 2015: Inspections – OSHA announced the agency will conduct more health and safety inspections in 2015, with most of the increase occurring in health inspections. OSHA says the reason for this is that health issues are being identified as increasing.

The lessons learned from the deadly 2013 West, Texas explosion and fire are not being passed along to emergency responders in other communities with facilities that store ammonium nitrate (AN), according to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB).

A Michigan farmer that houseshis temporary workers in substandard buildings with broken toilets, showers and screen doors, standing water and pest infestations has been ordered by a federal judge to clean up his act.

Following the discovery that some contractors hired by Lowe’s Home Centers to renovate homes had violated federal regulations regarding lead dust, the company has agreed to a corporate-wide compliance program at its 1,700+ stores.

While public hearings for OSHA’s proposed crystalline silica rule concluded on April 4, the agency is extending submission deadlines in order to give participants additional time to prepare post-hearing submissions.