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.

13,917 decisions and counting · Latest decision August 26, 2026
5 decisions 30 C.F.R. § 75.515

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ALJ

Jim Walter Resources, Inc.

Thirty-three citations resolved for $20,343

Eight civil-penalty dockets covered 33 alleged safety violations at Jim Walter Resources' No. 4, No. 5, and No. 7 underground coal mines. Judge Jerold Feldman adjudicated six citations and one order involving haulage coupling, electrical protection, rib support, track obstructions, a leaking seal…

January 28, 2008 ·Jerold Feldman ·FMSHRC
Mixed result
ALJ

Basin Resources, Incorporated

42-violation decision with $32,600 assessed

Basin Resources operated the Golden Eagle underground coal mine in Colorado, which later closed. Judge Richard W. Manning denied the Secretary's motion to add Basin's parent companies as respondents because the evidence did not show that they controlled or supervised the mine's day-to-day…

April 7, 1997 ·Richard W. Manning ·FMSHRC
Mixed result
ALJ

Martin Sales & Processing

Summary default decision later vacated

Martin Sales & Processing failed to answer the Secretary's discovery requests and did not comply with orders directing it to respond. Judge George A. Koutras found the operator in default and entered summary default judgment for the Secretary on four consolidated dockets. The order directed…

March 29, 1993 ·George A. Koutras ·FMSHRC
Other
ALJ

Consolidation Coal Company

Settlements approved across consolidated penalty cases

Consolidation Coal Company and the Secretary of Labor presented settlements covering one contest proceeding and eleven civil penalty proceedings involving several coal mines. Judge David Barbour approved the settlements after finding them in the public interest. The order reduced or vacated several…

April 28, 1992 ·David Barbour ·FMSHRC
Settled
ALJ

Consolidation Coal Company

Electrical citations partly dismissed and partly affirmed

Consolidation Coal Company was cited for electrical conditions at its Arkwright No. 1 Mine, including cable fittings, a blower temperature device, a ground-check circuit, circuit-breaker settings, and cable size. Judge Avram Weisberger found that two alleged violations were not proven and dismissed…

June 20, 1988 ·Avram Weisberger ·FMSHRC
Mixed result

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.