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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Brody Mining, LLC v. Secretary of Labor; Secretary of Labor v. Brody Mining, LLC
Brody Mining, LLC v. Secretary of Labor; Secretary of Labor v. Brody Mining, LLC (FMSHRC WEVA 2014-82-R, et al.): Pattern charge dismissed and underlying citations decided
MSHA placed Brody Mine No. 1 on a pattern of violations based on 54 citations and orders involving escapeway, roof and rib, ventilation, and methane hazards. Judge William B. Moran dismissed the pattern charge because the Secretary would not identify before the hearing what connected the alleged…
Secretary of Labor v. Drummond Company
Secretary of Labor v. Drummond Company (FMSHRC SE 2011-274, et al.): Refuge obstruction affirmed with reduced negligence
Coal, rock, and blocks had accumulated near a refuge alternative at Drummond's Shoal Creek Mine. Judge Kenneth R. Andrews found that the unexpected material could interfere with miners following a lifeline in low visibility, cause disorientation, and prevent access to breathable air during an…
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review, an ALJ decision becomes a final order under 29 U.S.C. § 661(j): it binds the parties in that case but is not binding precedent in other cases.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.