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, on behalf of Kenneth P. Lear, Jr. v. Kenamerican Resources, Inc.
Secretary of Labor, on behalf of Kenneth P. Lear, Jr. v. Kenamerican Resources, Inc. (FMSHRC KENT 2014-0708-D): Miner temporarily reinstated pending discrimination case
Kenneth Lear alleged that Kenamerican Resources ended his employment after he refused an assignment that he believed would disrupt mine ventilation and endanger miners. Kenamerican disputed that he received the assignment, engaged in protected activity, or was fired, arguing that he quit or was…
Secretary of Labor v. The American Coal Company
Secretary of Labor v. The American Coal Company (FMSHRC LAKE 2008-666, et al.): Five orders modified and flagrant findings removed
MSHA alleged five serious violations at American Coal's large, methane-liberating Galatia Mine involving energized electrical work, unsupported roof and ribs, inadequate preshift and on-shift examinations, and extensive belt-line combustible accumulations. Senior Judge Michael E. Zielinski upheld…
Secretary of Labor, MSHA v. Oak Grove Resources, LLC
Secretary of Labor v. Oak Grove Resources, LLC (FMSHRC SE 2012-416): Remaining citations settled for $88,125
Oak Grove and MSHA settled the two citations that remained after an earlier partial settlement. One order alleged combustible accumulations under section 75.400, while the other involved conditions identified during preshift examinations. Oak Grove disputed the violations and unwarrantable-failure…
Secretary of Labor v. Hanson Aggregates Midwest, LLC
Secretary of Labor v. Hanson Aggregates Midwest, LLC (FMSHRC KENT 2012-1310-M): Quarry citations resulted in $1,317 total penalties
Hanson Aggregates operated the Upton Quarry, a surface limestone mine in Kentucky. MSHA cited a broken pressure gauge on a portable air tank, the absence of a visible no-smoking sign at a used-oil fire hazard, and defective access steps on a haul truck. Judge Michael E. Zielinski affirmed all three…
Secretary of Labor v. The American Coal Company
Secretary of Labor v. The American Coal Company (FMSHRC LAKE 2011-183, LAKE 2011-184, and LAKE 2011-242): Nine violations upheld with $18,500 in penalties
The American Coal Company litigated ten citations involving an unclean bathhouse, unsupported roof and ribs, missing cutting goggles, an exposed electrical conductor, muddy travelways, and loose bridge boards at its large underground coal mine. Judge Michael E. Zielinski upheld nine violations but…
Northshore Mining Co.
Northshore Mining Co. (FMSHRC LAKE 2010-666-RM, et al.): Two violations reduced and individual claim dismissed
MSHA cited Northshore Mining after miners used a narrow beam to reach an elevated cooler platform and after a large shovel operated for weeks without its left-side mirror. Judge Michael E. Zielinski found that both conditions violated the cited standards and that the operator was highly negligent…
Secretary of Labor v. TRC Mining Corp.
Secretary of Labor v. TRC Mining Corp. (FMSHRC KENT 2011-332, KENT 2011-443): Four coal-mine citations modified and penalties cut to $14,500
The case addressed combustible accumulations along a belt, an inadequate belt examination, inoperable mantrip sanders, and accumulations on a working section. Judge Michael E. Zielinski affirmed all four violations but modified several enforcement findings. The belt accumulations remained S&S and…
Allied Stone, LLC
Allied Stone, LLC (FMSHRC LAKE 2011-47-M): Guarding and quarry citations split, with $650 total penalties
Allied Stone contested safety citations from an inspection of its portable surface limestone mine in Wisconsin. Judge Michael E. Zielinski affirmed a highwall citation but removed its S&S designation because the loader operator was unlikely to be injured by falling rock. He vacated two guarding…
Dyno Nobel East-Central Region
Dyno Nobel East-Central Region (FMSHRC SE 2012-260M): Stay denied while individual-liability investigation continued
MSHA sought a $47,716 penalty against Dyno Nobel while a related investigation considered possible individual liability under section 110(c) of the Mine Act. Dyno Nobel requested a stay so any individual case could be consolidated with the operator's case and duplicate litigation could be avoided…
Tri County Coal, LLC
Tri County Coal, LLC (FMSHRC LAKE 2011-308, et al.): Equipment and examination violations yield $39,472
Tri County Coal faced citations involving defective ram-car brakes, unsupported roof, damaged cable splices, an inadequate electrical examination, a roof-bolter dust collector, and inaccurate escapeway maps. Judge Michael E. Zielinski affirmed every litigated violation but modified negligence…
Eagle Wings Construction, LLC
Eagle Wings Construction, LLC (FMSHRC CENT 2010-1003-M): Unguarded tail pulleys upheld with $4,000 in statutory minimum penalties
MSHA cited two separate unguarded conveyor tail pulleys at Eagle Wings Construction's newly relocated sand and gravel plant. Judge Michael E. Zielinski found two distinct violations of 30 C.F.R. § 56.14107(a), not one duplicative violation, because the pulleys belonged to separate conveyors. He…
Sean P. Tadlock v. Big Ridge Inc.
Sean P. Tadlock v. Big Ridge Inc. (FMSHRC LAKE 2012-663-D): Discrimination complaint dismissed for repeated litigation failures
Sean Tadlock was temporarily reinstated, but MSHA later found no Mine Act discrimination and he chose to pursue his complaint personally before the Commission. Tadlock did not respond to scheduling proposals, missed conference calls, failed to answer discovery, and did not comply with orders…
Big Ridge, Incorporated
Big Ridge, Incorporated (FMSHRC LAKE 2011-716): One roof citation vacated and six reduced, with $53,000 total penalties
Big Ridge faced eleven roof-control citations at its Willow Lake Portal Mine with proposed penalties totaling $359,400. Four citations were settled for $36,500. Of the seven litigated citations, Senior Judge Michael E. Zielinski vacated one because the Secretary did not prove that the mine's recent…
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.