Pit and Quarry

Industry gathering place

The economy, MSHA, the highway bill and frac sand were among the topics at the forefront of the Pit & Quarry Roundtable, held Sept. 30 in the Chicago area. About 40 attendees, making up aggregate producers, manufacturers and service providers, participated in the annual event. As always, members of our industry offered valuable insight into the factors impacting aggregate operations across the nation. In upcoming issues, we will print a portion of that dialogue from your peers and equipment suppliers. Will you agree with them? You won't want to miss what they had to say. – Brian Richesson

Photos from the field

From flooded roads to widening cracks in their surfaces; from the fields to the factories to the work sites; to the faces of those Americans working every day to make our infrastructure better: It’s all documented in the colorful photos of AEM’s “Picture a Better America Photo Contest.” Through the contest, AEM sought to raise awareness of its "I Make America" campaign among congressional leaders and continue its push for more manufacturing jobs. Contest winners in four categories were honored earlier this month with a $250 prize during a reception on Capitol Hill. Julia Hoskins of Dexter, Ore.; Nicholas Klisch of Rapid City, S.D.; Macie Perry of Moreland, Ga.; and Christine Perkins of Manitowoc, Wis., snapped the best photos, according to contest judge Eric Draper, a former White House photographer. Take a look at their work and the impressive submissions of all entrants. – Brian Richesson

Honoring the leaders

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) opened nominations for 2011 inductees into the off-road equipment industry Hall of Fame program. The AEM Hall of Fame seeks to create a wider public understanding and appreciation of the industry’s role in global prosperity and improved quality of life. Nominations may only be submitted online at the Hall of Fame website. Deadline for submissions is July 18. Full details are online at www.aemhalloffame.com. – Brian Richesson

Welcome relief

Mike Kennedy, general counsel for the Associated General Contractors of America, released the following statement on an amended off-road diesel emissions rule by the California Air Resources Board. The board still must approve the rule at its December meeting.

“The amended off-road diesel emissions rule published by the California Air Resources Board brings California’s 550,000 remaining construction workers one step closer to much-needed relief. The revised rule reflects an earnest, good-faith effort by the board’s staff to both delay and scale back many of the regulation’s original mandates. As we agreed, the rule has been delayed by four years, annual emissions reduction requirements have been eased and contractors will receive credit for their voluntary efforts to reduce the emissions of their off-road diesel fleets. These changes will save contractors a minimum of $1.5 billion compared to the earlier rule, according to the board’s initial estimates, while ensuring greater overall emissions reductions.

“While we continue to work through a number of technical challenges associated with this new rule, we believe the changes now on the table will give California’s construction contractors the time they require to recover from the economic downturn. More important, we are demonstrating that the best way to reduce diesel emissions is to give the latest technology time to make its way into the marketplace. Newly manufactured equipment is getting cleaner every year, and as newer vehicles replace older ones, the debate over retroactive mandates will likely dissipate. This is how we have improved the gas mileage of our automobiles, and it remains the best way to reduce off-road diesel emissions. We encourage the board’s members to approve this new rule during their December meeting."

MSHA fatality No. 14

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported the 14th fatality for calendar year 2010 in the metal/nonmetal segment of the mining industry. On Aug. 14, a 23-year-old dredge operator with four years of experience died at a sand and gravel dredging operation. The victim and another miner were pulling a small boat from a dredge pond onto a boat trailer attached to a pickup truck. When the boat slipped back into the water, the victim attempted to retrieve it and drowned. As of this date in 2009, there were also 14 fatalities reported in the metal/nonmetal segment. MSHA's best practices with regard to this incident are: Wear a life jacket where there is a danger from falling into water; review procedures to ensure all possible hazards have been identified and appropriate controls are in place to protect miners before beginning work; develop procedures for loading and unloading boats in dredge operations and conduct training; inspect equipment, including the winch and cable, prior to use and maintain in a safe condition; attach the trailer winch rope securely to the boat prior to removing from the water; and ensure that people working around water receive training for swimming. – Mark S. Kuhar