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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections in November 2024 at 14 mines in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia and issued 162 violations and one safeguard.The agency conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement because of poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. Of the 162 violations MSHA identified in November 2024, 44 were evaluated by inspectors as significant and substantial and one had an unwarrantable failure finding. The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners. Since 2023, MSHA’s impact inspections have identified 5,127 violations, including 1,424 S&S and 100 unwarrantable failure findings at 330 mines. An S&S violation is one that could contribute in a significant and substantial way to the cause and effect of a safety or health hazard. Violations designated as unwarrantable failures occur when an inspector finds aggravated conduct that constitutes more than ordinary negligence. “MSHA’s November 2024 impact inspections identified hazards such as loose mine ribs, safety defects on mobile equipment and lack of safe access that put miners at unnecessary risk. During the winter months, it is incredibly important for mine operators to ensure their miners have safe access and clean working areas that are free from slip, trip and fall, as well as other hazards,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “This administration continues to use all of its tools, including impact inspections, to prioritize miners’ safety and health.” Ramaco Resources LLC’s No. 2 Gas Mine, an underground coal mine located in Logan County, West Virginia, was selected for an impact inspection because of its enforcement history. Weeks before the impact inspection, MSHA issued 34 violations at the mine, including 14 S&S, four unwarrantable failure findings and a safeguard. On Nov. 13, 2024, inspectors arrived at the mine. To prevent advance notification to miners underground, inspectors monitored the mine’s communication and electronic tracking system until other inspectors reached the underground work areas. MSHA inspectors issued 18 violations of mandatory health & safety standards and one 314(b) safeguard, including five evaluated as S&S.Specifically, inspectors found the following conditions: The presence of loose mine ribs, some as large as 4 feet long, 3 feet wide and 6 inches thick, on a working section and along the track entry/secondary escapeway, exposing miners to hazards if the ribs were to fall. Being struck by falling ribs of this size would likely cause permanently disabling crushing injuries. To ensure the best protection against potential rib falls, MSHA continues to remind operators to install rib bolts with adequate surface area coverage during the mining cycle and in a consistent pattern for the best protection against rib falls. During testing of the Proximity Detection System installed on a continuous mining machine, inspectors observed the CMM would not stop before contacting the miner wearable component assigned to the CMM operator, exposing miners to fatal crushing injuries. MSHA reminds all mine operators of the importance of conducting tests and examinations to properly maintain safety features of electrical equipment. MSHA selected Ruach Resources LLC’s surface construction sand and gravel mine Ruach Resources 3 for a November impact inspection because of its recent compliance issues. On Nov. 13, 2024, MSHA inspectors arrived at the Burleigh County, North Dakota mine before the beginning of the work shift. MSHA inspectors identified 28 violations of mandatory safety and health standards, seven of which were evaluated as S&S. Specifically, inspectors found the following conditions: Numerous serious safe access and housekeeping violations were identified throughout the mine. For example, inspectors found damaged access steps on pieces of mobile equipment, making ingress and egress unsafe for miners. It is crucial for operators to provide safe and clean work environments to ensure miners can access their work locations safely, as well as escape in the event of an emergency.  Safety defects on mobile equipment, including inadequate brake lights and damaged windshields. MSHA continues to remind operators to conduct thorough pre-shift examinations of work areas, and pre-operational examinations of mobile equipment, and to correct hazardous conditions before miners are exposed to them.  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections in November 2024 at 14 mines in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia and issued 162 violations and one safeguard.The agency conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement because of poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. Of the 162 violations MSHA identified in November 2024, 44 were evaluated by inspectors as significant and substantial and one had an unwarrantable failure finding. The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners. Since 2023, MSHA’s impact inspections have identified 5,127 violations, including 1,424 S&S and 100 unwarrantable failure findings at 330 mines. An S&S violation is one that could contribute in a significant and substantial way to the cause and effect of a safety or health hazard. Violations designated as unwarrantable failures occur when an inspector finds aggravated conduct that constitutes more than ordinary negligence. “MSHA’s November 2024 impact inspections identified hazards such as loose mine ribs, safety defects on mobile equipment and lack of safe access that put miners at unnecessary risk. During the winter months, it is incredibly important for mine operators to ensure their miners have safe access and clean working areas that are free from slip, trip and fall, as well as other hazards,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “This administration continues to use all of its tools, including impact inspections, to prioritize miners’ safety and health.” Ramaco Resources LLC’s No. 2 Gas Mine, an underground coal mine located in Logan County, West Virginia, was selected for an impact inspection because of its enforcement history. Weeks before the impact inspection, MSHA issued 34 violations at the mine, including 14 S&S, four unwarrantable failure findings and a safeguard. On Nov. 13, 2024, inspectors arrived at the mine. To prevent advance notification to miners underground, inspectors monitored the mine’s communication and electronic tracking system until other inspectors reached the underground work areas. MSHA inspectors issued 18 violations of mandatory health & safety standards and one 314(b) safeguard, including five evaluated as S&S.Specifically, inspectors found the following conditions: The presence of loose mine ribs, some as large as 4 feet long, 3 feet wide and 6 inches thick, on a working section and along the track entry/secondary escapeway, exposing miners to hazards if the ribs were to fall. Being struck by falling ribs of this size would likely cause permanently disabling crushing injuries. To ensure the best protection against potential rib falls, MSHA continues to remind operators to install rib bolts with adequate surface area coverage during the mining cycle and in a consistent pattern for the best protection against rib falls. During testing of the Proximity Detection System installed on a continuous mining machine, inspectors observed the CMM would not stop before contacting the miner wearable component assigned to the CMM operator, exposing miners to fatal crushing injuries. MSHA reminds all mine operators of the importance of conducting tests and examinations to properly maintain safety features of electrical equipment. MSHA selected Ruach Resources LLC’s surface construction sand and gravel mine Ruach Resources 3 for a November impact inspection because of its recent compliance issues. On Nov. 13, 2024, MSHA inspectors arrived at the Burleigh County, North Dakota mine before the beginning of the work shift. MSHA inspectors identified 28 violations of mandatory safety and health standards, seven of which were evaluated as S&S. Specifically, inspectors found the following conditions: Numerous serious safe access and housekeeping violations were identified throughout the mine. For example, inspectors found damaged access steps on pieces of mobile equipment, making ingress and egress unsafe for miners. It is crucial for operators to provide safe and clean work environments to ensure miners can access their work locations safely, as well as escape in the event of an emergency.  Safety defects on mobile equipment, including inadequate brake lights and damaged windshields. MSHA continues to remind operators to conduct thorough pre-shift examinations of work areas, and pre-operational examinations of mobile equipment, and to correct hazardous conditions before miners are exposed to them.  

NEW YORK – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a consent decree with federal contractor DISH Network requiring the satellite and internet provider to supply the department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs with information on its equal employment opportunity practices at nine establishments.Ordered on Dec. 19, 2024, the decree by the Office of Administrative Law Judges resolves an August 2023 administrative complaint brought by the department alleging the company refused to submit information needed for the OFCCP compliance review of the DISH Network’s Roseland, New Jersey, location. “Failure to provide required documentation for a compliance review is a clear violation of the legal obligations of a federal contractor,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Acting Director Michele Hodge. “The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is responsible for ensuring that employers doing business with the federal government comply with laws and regulations requiring nondiscrimination.” Beginning in 2018, the department sought compliance reviews at 12 DISH Network locations based on the company’s contract with the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. The company refused to participate in OFCCP reviews, stating that its contracts did not meet the threshold contract value requiring federal contractors to submit an affirmative action program and supporting data. In the consent decree, DISH Network agrees to provide current affirmative action programs and supporting data for reviews at nine company establishments, including Roseland, that still exist. DISH will provide programs and data for two locations by Dec. 31, 2024, and for the remaining locations by June 30, 2025. “The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that all federal contractors uphold their legal responsibilities, particularly when it comes to fostering workplaces that are free from discrimination,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda. “This agreement represents a significant step in holding DISH Network accountable for its actions and ensuring compliance with federal requirements. Our goal is to safeguard equal employment opportunities for all workers.”During litigation, on May 20, 2024, the OALJ denied DISH Network’s motion seeking to be removed from expedited hearing procedures that allow for a speedier resolution of certain issues. The decision found that an employer’s refusal to provide OFCCP with requested documents is precisely the type of issue that expedited procedures were meant to address.  OFCCP’s New Jersey District Office is conducting the compliance review of the Roseland establishment, and the New York Regional Office of the Solicitor is litigating the case for the department.DISH Network is a subsidiary of EchoStar Corp. in Englewood, Colorado, a global provider of technology, networking services, television entertainment and connectivity for consumer, commercial and government clients. OFCCP enforces Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. Together, these laws prohibit employment discrimination. Learn more about OFCCP.Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, U.S. Department of Labor v. DISH Network Corp.Docket No.: 2023-OFC-00003

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, Doug Parker, has issued the following statement in regard to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ release of its 2023 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries on Dec. 19, 2024:“Today’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is more positive news for worker safety and health. In November, the bureau reported a 20-year low in the rate of non-fatal worker injuries and illnesses in 2023, and we are further encouraged by the news that the number and rate of fatal worker injuries also dropped in 2023.“I believe the Biden-Harris administration’s worker-centered approach of stronger enforcement combined with our numerous collaborations with employers and labor to embrace health and safety as core values are making a difference. Whether it is our enforcement initiatives, our promotion of workplace safety and health management systems, or our initiatives to support workplace mental health and safe driving and prevent worker drug overdoses, it all makes a difference in saving lives at work. “There was a meaningful decline in the number of fatal injuries to Black workers of 10.2 percent, and the rate for Latino workers dropped from 4.6 to 4.4 per 100,000 workers. Addressing high rates among these populations and recognizing the disproportionate impact of work hazards on workers of color enable more workers to end their shifts safely.“Despite these promising trends, there is more work to be done. In 2023, 5,283 workers lost their lives. That means a worker dies every 99 minutes. Every worker’s death is a profound tragedy that leaves a lasting void for families, friends, co-workers and communities. We can and we must do better.”

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, Doug Parker, has issued the following statement in regard to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ release of its 2023 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries on Dec. 19, 2024:“Today’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is more positive news for worker safety and health. In November, the bureau reported a 20-year low in the rate of non-fatal worker injuries and illnesses in 2023, and we are further encouraged by the news that the number and rate of fatal worker injuries also dropped in 2023.“I believe the Biden-Harris administration’s worker-centered approach of stronger enforcement combined with our numerous collaborations with employers and labor to embrace health and safety as core values are making a difference. Whether it is our enforcement initiatives, our promotion of workplace safety and health management systems, or our initiatives to support workplace mental health and safe driving and prevent worker drug overdoses, it all makes a difference in saving lives at work. “There was a meaningful decline in the number of fatal injuries to Black workers of 10.2 percent, and the rate for Latino workers dropped from 4.6 to 4.4 per 100,000 workers. Addressing high rates among these populations and recognizing the disproportionate impact of work hazards on workers of color enable more workers to end their shifts safely.“Despite these promising trends, there is more work to be done. In 2023, 5,283 workers lost their lives. That means a worker dies every 99 minutes. Every worker’s death is a profound tragedy that leaves a lasting void for families, friends, co-workers and communities. We can and we must do better.”