Pit & Quarry, October 2016

SAFETY UPDATE ALERT FOCUSED ON WATER HAZARDS T he Mine Safety Health Administration MSHA issued a hazard alert as well as best practices for miners who work near water According to MSHA 24 water related fatalities have occurred in the metal nonmetal sector since 2005 The risks MSHA identifies for miners in this area are traveling or operating equipment near water equipment weight and vibration undercut banks sloughing ground varied water depth swift currents inadequate berms narrow roadways and electrocution MSHA suggests operations follow a number of best practices related to water hazards including conducting daily workplace exams knowing water depth and subsurface and ground conditions before beginning work keeping equipment a safe distance back from the waters edge avoiding travel over ice covered water providing handrails around docks and workboats properly berming roadways near water hazards always wearing a U S Coast Guard approved Type I or Type V personal flotation device PFD when working around water even when inside mobile equipment knowing where extra PFDs and rescue rings are stowed making water rescue equipment easily accessible and keeping all travel ways clear around water hazards NSSGA ADJUSTS PRODUCER AWARDS PROGRAM T he National Stone Sand Gravel Association NSSGA will present some of its Awards of Excellence at the Fall Board of Directors Meeting and Legislative Policy Forum in 2017 the association announced According to NSSGA the change was made to recognize the work of the people in the aggregate industry at a higher level and to better connect that recognition with the associations advocacy for the industry The awards to be presented at the new event in Washington D C will be Awards of Excellence in Safety and Health Environmental Excellence Awards and Grassroots Awards The Awards of Excel lence in Community Relations the Barry K Wendt Commitment Award and the James M Christie Safety and Health Professional of the Year Award will still be presented at NSSGAs Annual Convention The next convention will take place in conjunction with ConExpo Con Agg March 7 11 2017 in Las Vegas According to NSSGA awards in the Safety Excellence and Corporate Sterling Safety categories will actually be presented twice in 2017 to effectively transition to the new pattern Awards based on 2016 data will be presented at NSSGAs Annual Convention in March and awards based on 2017 data will be presented at the Fall Board of Directors Meeting and Policy Conference in fall 2017 Starting in 2018 the safety awards will be presented once annually as part of the Fall Board of Directors Meeting and Legislative Policy Forum H A R D N U M B E R S 7 54 PIT QUARRY October 2016 pitandquarry com PHOTOS COURTESY OF KEVIN YANIK LEFT AND NATALIE MAASBERG RIGHT THE NUMBER OF MINERS who have died in metal and nonmetal mining accidents involving drills over the last 14 years according to the Mine Safety Health Administration MSHA suggests always wearing a personal flotation device when working around water NSSGA recognized Mulzer Crushed Stones Matthew Bunner last year as the James M Christie Safety Health Professional of the Year Pictured above is Mulzer Crushed Stones Cape Sandy Quarry in Leavenworth Indiana