Main Highlights MSHA Milestones
PLANT REPORT
SPECIAL PROFILE
Main Highlights
MSHA Milestones
J
Joseph A. Main, Assistant
Secretary of Labor for the
Mine Safety and Health
Administration.
During a recent
conversation
with Joe Main,
he touted
MSHA’s work
with aggregate
associations to
bring about safety
improvements.
by Kerry Clines,
Senior Editor
oseph A. Main, the Assistant Secretary
want in terms of what’s required of the standards.”
of Labor for the Mine Safety and Health
MSHA is addressing the consistency concern
Administration (MSHA), has been busy
through the training of its supervisors and inspecsince the last time we spoke. He has been
tors. “We are now in the third round of training
making the rounds, visiting with mining operations metal/non-metal inspectors,” Main says. “We
and aggregate associations across the country, to
added new components on professionalism. We
brainstorm new ideas and initiatives, get feedback,
have a job to do. We’re required by law to do it. It
and let the industry know what the agency is doing involves inspecting mines and issuing citations for
to advance mine safety.
some conditions, but we need to do that in a profes“We have a number of alliances throughout the
sional manner.”
mining industry and with the NSSGA (National
The Rules to Live By program is deemed of
Stone, Sand & Gravel Association) that bring about utmost importance by Main. “We’re working to
productive discussions leading to improvements,”
improve and expand that program,” he says. “If we
Main says.
intend to eliminate
“We’re looking at identifying other
Main outlined
the most common
standards that need additional clarity,” types of fatalities
several initiatives MSHA has
in the mining in— Joseph A. Main
undertaken since
dustry, we’ve got to
last year. One initiative was the development of a
focus more attention on them. That’s exactly what
Power Point pilot program to help clarify conveyor the Rules to Live By program does. We want to see
system guarding standards and requirements.
this information become part of the training given
“We’ve had a 39-percent reduction in guarding vio- to new miners and be used in retraining as well.”
lations since its implementation,” Mains says. “That
Two more programs making a difference, accordprogram is like the flagship of programs we want
ing to Main, are the impact inspection program and
to implement and work through with the mining
the potential Pattern of Violations program. “We
industry.”
believe these programs have had a positive impact
A new guarding program, to be released soon,
in reshaping the mining industry in this country,” he
will provide compliance information on all types
says. “Statistics show marked improvement for mines
of equipment guarding other than belt conveyors.
that have gone through the programs.”
“We’re close to bringing out the next version,”
The revamped Small Mines Consulting Program
Main adds. “We’ve had help from the mining in(SMCP) has helped smaller operations to comply
dustry to develop it. Hopefully, it will provide more with regulations. MSHA recently asked state agclarity about what is required on guarding of nongregates associations to host a visit from the SMCP
conveyor systems.”
at an aggregates facility in order to demonstrate its
Another new program deals with fall protection, compliance assistance tools.
providing more clarity and guidance on what is
The reinstatement of the pre-assessment conferrequired. According to Main, the agency based its
ence has made a huge difference to aggregates opstandard on an existing OSHA one. “We’ve had
erations as well. Once again, operations are able to
good success with that,” he says.
resolve issues at the district level without resorting
Main wants to focus on the areas of confusion
to litigation.
regarding standards. “We’re looking at identifying
“I think the overriding message is that we’re movother standards that need additional clarity,” he
ing in the right direction,” Main says. “We realize
says. “That’s what we hear more than anything on
there’s more that needs to be done, and that we can
the metal/non-metal side. They want consistency
do, but if you look at where we are, we’re making a
in what we do and want us to tell them what we
positive difference.” AM
AGGREGATES MANAGER October 2012
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