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. Warrior Investments Company, Inc.
Secretary of Labor v. Warrior Investments Company, Inc. (FMSHRC SE-2014-347): Defective scoop parking brake citation affirmed
An unloaded scoop at Warrior Investments' low-coal mine rolled several feet after its parking brake was applied and stopped only when the operator lowered the bucket. Judge Thomas P. McCarthy found that the brake failed to hold the machine stationary and that normal practices of leaving scoops…
Signature Mining Services, LLC v. Secretary of Labor
Signature Mining Services, LLC v. Secretary of Labor (FMSHRC EAJ 2012-0002): Reimbursed legal costs did not support EAJA award
Signature Mining Services prevailed against an overbroad MSHA imminent-danger order and sought $80,004.37 in fees and expenses under the Equal Access to Justice Act. Its mine-owner contracting partner had promised to reimburse defense costs and had paid all costs from the underlying contest plus…
Secretary of Labor v. M-Class Mining, LLC
Secretary of Labor v. M-Class Mining, LLC (FMSHRC LAKE 2013-47, LAKE 2013-123): discovery from open agent investigation denied
M-Class Mining sought MSHA's open section 110(c) special-investigation file and a deposition of the special investigator while defending four operator citations, three of which remained disputed. Judge Margaret A. Miller denied the motion because possible individual-agent liability was not yet part…
Pinnacle Mining Company, Inc. v. Secretary of Labor
Pinnacle Mining Company, Inc. v. Secretary of Labor (FMSHRC WEVA 2013-633-R and WEVA 2013-634-R): Discovery compelled in stayed contest cases
Pinnacle Mining filed contests to two MSHA orders, and the cases were stayed while proposed penalties were pending. The Secretary moved to compel complete discovery responses and depositions or, alternatively, to dismiss the contests. Pinnacle said it wanted assurance that discovery would not lead…
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.