Federal Agency Decisions
Workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), and environmental appeals from the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board, each with a plain-English summary, the standards it cites, and whether it counts as precedent. More agencies are coming.
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Mize Granite Quarries, Inc, and Robert W. Mize, III and Clayborn Lewis
Mize Granite Quarries, Inc. (FMSHRC SE 2009-401-M, et al.): Nine company violations and agent liability findings
MSHA cited Mize Granite Quarries for unsafe access, missing fall protection, an excessive grinder-tool-rest gap, an uncapped oxygen cylinder, a worn crane hook, exposed metal in a blasting-cap magazine, missing handrails, unsecured high-pressure hose connections, and an untested grounding system…
Vermont Unfading Green Slate Company, Inc.
One citation vacated and remanded while five remain affirmed
Vermont Unfading Green Slate Company operated a slate quarry in Rutland County, Vermont. MSHA issued 11 citations after an inspection, and the judge assessed penalties totaling $470 for the six violations at issue on review. The Commission vacated and remanded the guarding citation so the judge…
VT Unfading Green Slate Company, Incorporated
Citations split and $470 penalty assessed
VT Unfading Green Slate Company operated the Blissville Quarry and Mill in Vermont. After an MSHA inspection, the judge considered 11 alleged violations involving fire-extinguisher maintenance, lighting, electrical equipment, machine guarding, access, eye protection, housekeeping, air hoses…
Secretary of Labor v. Southern Refractories, Inc.
Mixed results and $181 penalty
Southern Refractories removes and replaces refractory material in preheaters and kilns. The judge vacated one hose-connection citation, approved settlements for two other citations, and affirmed a safe-access citation after deleting two alleged conditions and the significant-and-substantial…
Lakeview Rock Products, Inc.
Penalties assessed across 27 violations
Lakeview Rock Products operated a sand and gravel pit in Salt Lake City, Utah. Judge Arthur J. Amchan addressed three MSHA inspections and 27 contested or withdrawn violations involving electrical protection, guarding, workplace examinations, footwear, berms, access, and related safety…
Sulphur Springs Stone Company
26 citations affirmed and $1,530 assessed
Sulphur Springs Stone Company operated a small stone mine in Kentucky with five employees. After the company did not appear at the hearing, Judge James A. Broderick reviewed the Secretary's evidence concerning 26 alleged violations found during an October 8, 1985 inspection. The violations included…
What these documents are
- The agencies: Workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), and environmental permit and penalty appeals from the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB). Each decision page names its agency.
- Commission and Board decisions: Rulings by the agency's highest review level (the Commission at OSHRC and FMSHRC, the Environmental Appeals Board at EPA). These are citable as precedent, though a decision may have been appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals after issuance.
- ALJ decisions: Rulings by the agency's Administrative Law Judges after a hearing. When no Commissioner directs review, an ALJ decision becomes a final order that binds the parties in that case but is not binding precedent: under 29 U.S.C. § 661(j) at OSHRC, and after the 40-day window of 30 U.S.C. § 823(d)(1) at FMSHRC.
- 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 public release from the deciding agency, and the full text on the page is that release. The plain-English summaries are written by Ezel.