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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Sanger Rock and Sand
Citation case remanded
MSHA cited Sanger Rock and Sand for alleged violations involving 30 C.F.R. §§ 56.12028 and 56.14007. The ALJ vacated the citations after finding that MSHA had not shown compliance with the Administrative Procedure Act's publication requirements for the agency's organization and delegated authority…
Sanger Rock & Sand
Citations vacated on jurisdiction and publication grounds
MSHA charged Sanger Rock & Sand with violating two mine-safety regulations at the Sanger Pit and Mill in California. Sanger argued that the federal government lacked jurisdiction because it did not own the property and because California had not ceded it, and also argued that MSHA had not properly…
Seven Day Concrete, Inc.
Settlement approved for $2,680
MSHA alleged 16 violations of mandatory safety standards at Seven Day Concrete's Ellinger Plant and proposed total penalties of $2,680. The company agreed to pay the full proposed amount and withdraw its contest. Judge George A. Koutras approved the settlement and allowed payment of $670…
Sanger Rock & Sand
Seven mine-safety violations affirmed
Sanger Rock & Sand operated a sand and gravel mine in California. Judge August F. Cetti rejected the operator's argument that the mine was outside federal jurisdiction and found that the Mine Act applied because the operation affected interstate commerce. He affirmed seven citations involving…
Heldenfels Brothers, Inc.
Default judgment entered for $80 in penalties
Heldenfels Brothers, Inc. faced four alleged violations of mine safety standards at its Crusher No. 9101 operation. The company filed its answer late and did not respond to the judge's order to show cause or otherwise communicate about the case. Judge George A. Koutras entered default judgment and…
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.