Federal agency decisions, searchable in plain English.
Workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) and mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), each with a plain-English summary, the standards it cites, and whether it counts as precedent. More agencies are coming.
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Secretary of Labor, MSHA v. US Silica Company
Secretary of Labor v. US Silica Company (FMSHRC WEVA 2013-425): Breaker-label citation vacated
MSHA cited an unlabeled two-switch breaker box in a paint trailer at US Silica's Berkeley Plant. Judge David Barbour did not decide whether the box was a principal power switch under section 56.12018. Instead, he found that the circuits could be readily identified by location because visible wiring…
Boart Longyear Company v. Secretary of Labor
Boart Longyear Company v. Secretary of Labor (FMSHRC WEST 2012-248-RM et al.): Alternative platform charge rejected before trial
MSHA had cited Boart Longyear for a foreman's failure to use fall protection while working on a truck bed and proposed a $70,000 penalty. Shortly before trial, the Secretary sought to add an alternative charge that the truck bed was an unsafe work platform without handrails. Judge David Barbour…
George's Shop & Rock, Inc
George's Shop & Rock, Inc. (FMSHRC WEST 2013-459-DM): Late discrimination complaint deemed timely
The Secretary alleged that George's Shop & Rock fired Michael L. Barlow because he complained about mine health conditions and participated in an MSHA inspection. The company moved to dismiss because Barlow filed his discrimination complaint more than 60 days after his termination. Judge David…
What these documents are
- Commission decisions: Rulings by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission itself, the highest level of agency review. These are citable as Commission precedent, though a decision may have been appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals after issuance.
- ALJ decisions: Rulings by OSHRC Administrative Law Judges after a hearing. When no Commissioner directs review, an ALJ decision becomes a final order under 29 U.S.C. § 661(j): it binds the parties in that case but is not binding precedent in other cases.
- Why finality matters: Every page here says which kind of decision you are reading, so you know whether it is precedent you can cite or a final order that only shows how one judge ruled on one set of facts.
- Where they come from: Every page links the official OSHRC public release, and the full text on the page is that release. The plain-English summaries are written by Ezel.