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 v. Power Fuels, LLC
Secretary of Labor v. Power Fuels, LLC (FMSHRC VA 2013-403, et al.): Coal blending terminal held subject to Mine Act
Power Fuels operated a stand-alone terminal that received coal and coal byproducts, stored and blended them to a power company's daily specifications, and then shipped the prepared fuel to the plant. Judge George A. Koutras held that these activities were the work of preparing coal, making the…
Secretary of Labor, MSHA v. MJM Electric Construction
Secretary of Labor v. MJM Electric Construction (FMSHRC SE 2013-259-M): Quiet backup-alarm citation affirmed with lower negligence
An MSHA inspector cited MJM Electric Construction because a pickup truck's voluntarily installed backup alarm could not be heard above the surrounding engine and traffic noise. Judge George A. Koutras held that once an operator provides an alarm, the standard requires it to be audible above the…
Paramont Coal Company Virginia, LLC
Paramont Coal Company Virginia, LLC (FMSHRC VA 2010-369-R, VA 2010-370-R, and VA 2010-458): Dust citation upheld and one belt-abatement order vacated
MSHA cited Paramont Coal for float coal dust along a conveyor and for a misaligned belt rubbing hangers, then issued two withdrawal orders when it concluded that the conditions were not timely abated. Judge George A. Koutras affirmed both underlying violations but kept the dust citation non-S&S and…
Secretary of Labor v. Consolidation Coal Company
Secretary of Labor v. Consolidation Coal Company (FMSHRC WEVA 2010-176, et al.): MSHA jurisdiction ended at empty river barges
A preparation-plant foreman drowned after apparently falling from an empty barge on the Ohio River while checking barges for water at Consolidation Coal's Ireland River Loading Facility. The company accepted MSHA jurisdiction over the land-based facility but disputed coverage of the loading dock…
Pennsy Supply, Inc.
Pennsy Supply, Inc. (FMSHRC YORK 2011-61-M): Late accident report affirmed with reduced negligence
A customer truck driver was found unresponsive and not breathing at Pennsy Supply's scale, and CPR began immediately. Mine management called 911 promptly but did not notify MSHA until nearly two hours later, after learning that the driver had died. Judge George A. Koutras held that the driver had…
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.