The operator notified workers of inspectors’ presence.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled on Wednesday that the Paradise No. 9 mine operator violated the federal Mine Safety and Health act. The incident was recorded on April 20, 2012, when Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspectors monitored the underground telephone line and heard the dispatcher confirm that the miners “have company outside.” This action alerted workers to MSHA inspectors trying to conduct a routine, unannounced inspection of the mine’s working conditions.
“Our statutorily mandated inspections are at the heart of the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s enforcement program,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Christopher Williamson. “This decision affirms MSHA’s ability to conduct inspections without interference from mine operators as Congress intended.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Assistant Secretary Williamson as he heads the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
- For Secretary Walsh and Labor Department officials as they seek to maintain safe working conditions for workers.
- For the president and his Cabinet as they pursue environmental goals.
Sources: Department of Labor
