Obama's War On Coal Continues

Self | 11/02/2012 | Self

[Colorado Doug]

As coal mines shut down due to Obama's war on coal and the promise of more EPA regulations on coal fired plants, Obama seems to be tightening the regulatory vice on coal mines even more.

A couple of Weeks ago I was at a coal mine while a gaggle of people in US government tagged vehicles were touring it. Okay, an MSHA inspection, I thought to myself. Not something you see every day but not unheard of either.

Yesterday at the same mine, every truck that entered the site was shut down and put in line for an inspection by OSHA. These trucks are not even affiliated with the mine. Many are independents. Each truck inspection took about an hour and a half with trucks stacked up twenty deep before arriving trucks started turning around to avoid the logjam. Some of them had driven over 350 miles, only to turn around and go home empty, unable to load. The less fortunate trucks that got snared in the bureaucratic nightmare had to wait all day with certain knowledge that they would be cited for any shortcomings in their equipment. an acquaintance of mine was cited for a defective fire extinguisher after waiting for hours. He was then unable to deliver his load that day because the delay put him over hours for driving (A D.O.T. regulation limiting driving time to eleven hours)

I have never heard of anything like this in my life. Have any other Freepers seen anything like this? It smells of harassment. I'm sure that it cost the mine and the trucking companies thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars in lost production. Since when did O.S.H.A. start doing D.O.T. inspections? and on private property no less. The only thing that I can't confirm is that it was OSHA for certain but that is what I have been told.

[Inyo-Mono]

Obama the jobs killing president strikes again. How anyone in states affected by this could vote for him is beyond me.

[Bon of Babble]

I thought the same thing — how could ANYONE in coal states vote for this idiot job killer?

DH is from coal country — from a long line of miners, welders and mining engineers, etc. — they’re called “coal crackers.” Coal put DH through college because none of his family wanted him to go into the mines...

[fudimo]

It was most likely MSHA. I have had experience with their inspections. They get a bug up their but and come out to a mine to shut things down and issue fines for anything they feel like. A small hydraulic leak or seep on a piece of equipment and you are not allowed on the mine. Too much grease on your truck out you go pay the fine. Not using an OSHA/MSHA aproved box cutter,possible fine. If you don’t have the proper color tape on electrical hand tools you could get a fine. (Electric powered tools must be inspected by an approved electrician once a month.) If you have too much coal dust on your haul truck you can get fined, fire hazard. If your buggy whip flag is said to be faded stop work and get a new flag.
Granted mining is dangerous work, but it seems like these people go out of their way to stop work.

[Colorado Doug]

Yes, I have seen MSHA do some over the top inspections but have you ever seen them specifically target outside truckers, not affiliated with the mine? I mean this coal mine is immaculate. Never seen anything like it. Super clean and nice equipment all safety rules followed to the Tee. A real tight ship. I'm not aware that MSHA even has regulations for over-the-road trucks. When did they gain cross jurisdictional authority with DOT?These trucks spend a few minutes at the mine site to be loaded and that's it.

[kitchen]

What mine, if you can share? Deserado, ColoWyo, and Trapper, I don't believe, load trucks. 20 Mile is in a longwall move, although they usually stockpile enough to get through before the new panel starts. They do send a few trucks a day up to a small plant in Wyoming and the occasional load for the local market.

As to your question, I have been in or on about 60 mines in the States, and I have never seen an OSHA or DOT inspector on the property. BLM, USGS, state mine inspectors, or state and federal tax people are almost a daily occurrence, however.

[yldstrk]

I hate to hear this. This is control plain and simple. Just like the harassment at Gibson guitar

[Colorado Doug]

This is a mine near Durango.

[Colorado Doug]

I have never seen an OSHA or DOT inspector on the property

That's why I find this shakedown so bizaar! I have never seen or heard of over-the-road trucks being inspected at any mine or quarry EVER!

[tomkat]

Mines are dangerous places, esp. for outsiders .. people hit their heads on stuff, trip and fall down real big holes, get lost and are never heard from again . . .

(so i've heard)

[Colorado Doug]

Mines are dangerous places, esp. for outsiders

Some neighborhoods are even more dangerous places, esp. for outsiders. That doesn't explain overzealous regulation like what I am describing. I am talking about a safe, very well run mine. No big holes to fall in and to my knowledge nobody has ever got lost there, never to be heard from again.

[tomkat]

I understand your point, but think you might've missed mine  ;-).

(nudge nudge, wink wink)

[uglybiker]

I worked in mining and endured MSHA inspections for 15 years and never heard this.

so I'm left to wonder; who did the owner p*ss off?

Quick question: Was this federal or state level OSHA/DOT?

[Colorado Doug]

I understand your point, but think you might've missed mine ;-). (nudge nudge, wink wink)

ROFLOL, I did, I did!! It's like "Nice inspecter ya got there - be a shame if he were to get lost or fall in a hole" LOL

[Colorado Doug]

The first round was federal for sure, I saw the plates. The second round with the trucks I am told was OSHA, also federal.

I don't think you have to piss off anybody if you have a coal mine. You are just a target.

[kitchen]

PM sent.

[tomkat]

precisely .. lol

[fudimo]

Doug it happens all the time to outside contractors. Word gets out that MSHA is doing inspections that day contractors sometimes pull their stuff off the mine to avoid the harassment. Sometimes they will line up near the maintenance garage on the site to avoid an inspection and/or do some repairs. When they are on site things are bad.