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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Secretary of Labor v. M-Class Mining, Inc. and M-Class Mining, Inc. v. Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Labor v. M-Class Mining, Inc. (FMSHRC LAKE 2015-186-R, et al.): Personal-liability investigation given final deadline
MSHA sought $133,000 against M-Class Mining for allegedly failing to withdraw miners promptly after a ventilation-fan malfunction. The consolidated penalty and contest cases were stayed while the Secretary investigated possible personal liability under section 110(c), but the investigation remained…
Spartan Mining Company, Inc.
Four fatal-electrocution violations upheld, one penalty reduced
A continuous miner damaged its trailing cable during a mine-wide power outage, and an electrician was fatally shocked when a foreman restored power while the cable was being repaired. The Commission affirmed violations for failing to protect the cable, lock and tag it out, remove it from service…
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 When no Commissioner directs review, an ALJ decision becomes a final order that binds the parties in that case but is not binding precedent: under 29 U.S.C. § 661(j) at OSHRC, and after the 40-day window of 30 U.S.C. § 823(d)(1) at FMSHRC.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.