Rock Products

OCT 2012

Rock Products is the aggregates industry's leading source for market analysis and technology solutions, delivering critical content focusing on aggregates-processing equipment; operational efficiencies; management best practices; comprehensive market

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RANDY K. LOGSDON MSHA Offers Compliance Guide The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration introduced a new compli‐ ance assistance resource to address one of the most commonly cited violations in the metal and nonmetal mining industry: improperly guarded machinery. "Guarding Machinery at Metal & Nonmetal Mines" is a sequel to a compliance guide for guarding con‐ veyor belts published in 2010. In that year, guard‐ ing‐related violations peaked at 10,877 and accounted for one of every seven violationscited. "The purpose of this new guide designed to im‐ prove mine safety is threefold: to improve the min‐ ing industry's understanding of good guarding principles; ensure the construction, installation and maintenance of high‐quality, effective guards; and improve compliance, inspection and enforce‐ ment consistency," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main. According to Parts 56/57.14107 of 30 Code of Fed‐ eral Regulations, moving machine parts must be guarded to protect individuals from contacting gears; sprockets; chains; drive, head, tail and take‐ up pulleys; flywheels; couplings; shafts; fan blades; and similar moving parts that can cause injury. Guards are not required when the exposed moving parts are at least 7 ft. away from walking or work‐ ing surfaces. Injuries related to equipment guarding typically occur because guards are missing, inadequately sized or positioned, and also may be due to miners handling ordropping heavy, unwieldy and other poorly designed, constructed or maintained guards. For example, in some cases, lacerations or other in‐ juries may occur due to a guard's construction. The new guide provides examples of good guarding practice and compliance information relating to all types of mining equipment, including drive and power transmission components; crushers and screens; rotating, packaging and palletizing equip‐ ment; power tools and auxiliary equipment. E www.rockproducts.com Randy K. Logsdon, CMSP, is manager of safety for Intrepid Potash New Mex- ico operations. He has practiced safety on both the coal and metal/non- metal side of mining for more than 30 years. Randy is a Certified Mine Safety Professional. He can be reached at rklogsdon@mac.com. JAMES SHARPE James Sharpe holds a master's degree in envi- ronmental health sciences and is certified in the comprehensive practice of industrial hygiene, health and safety. He can be reached at sharpemedia@verizon.net. ELLEN SMITH Ellen Smith is the owner of Legal Publication Services, publisher of Mine Safety & Health News, www.mine- safety.com. She has been covering mining issues since 1987 and has won 31 journalism awards for her reporting, including the 2010 Magnum Opus Award for Outstanding Achieve- ment in Custom Media. Ellen can be reached at 585-721-3211, or at minesafety@aol.com. ROCKproducts • OCTOBER 2012 45

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