MSHA to publish rule to amend civil penalty regulations
In order to emphasize the importance of safe working conditions in mines, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is going to publish a proposed rule to amend existing civil penalty regulations.
The rule, which will be published in the Federal Register on July 31, will simplify assessment criteria for health and safety violations and place greater emphasis on safe working conditions.
“This proposed rule would simplify the process and increase consistency, objectivity and efficiency in the citations and orders that inspectors issue,” says Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “Furthermore, it would facilitate improved compliance and early resolution of enforcement issues.”
Under the rule, the penalty price will remain generally the same; however, the prices for small metal and nonmetal mines will decrease. Minimum penalties for unwarrantable failure violations will increase.
By doing this, MSHA hopes that mine owners will become more accountable for safety hazards and more proactive about running safe operations.
About the Author: Allison Kral
Allison Kral is the former senior digital media manager for North Coast Media (NCM). She completed her undergraduate degree at Ohio University where she received a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. She works across a number of digital platforms, which include creating e-newsletters, writing articles and posting across social media sites. She also creates content for NCM's Portable Plants magazine, GPS World magazine and Geospatial Solutions. Her understanding of the ever-changing digital media world allows her to quickly grasp what a target audience desires and create content that is appealing and relevant for any client across any platform.Subscribe to Pit & Quarry
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