A federal appeals court unanimously ruled a Lake County, Minn., iron ore mine owner flagrantly broke the Mine Safety and Health Act in 2016 by ordering miners to work on an elevated walkway that had been deemed unsafe for more than a year.
Two managers employed by Northshore Mining Co. were found personally liable by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, according to an Aug. 25 news release.
“Protecting the safety and health of our nation’s miners is our highest priority,” Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson said in the release. “The U.S. Department of Labor will hold mine operators and individuals accountable when they break the law and jeopardize workers’ safety and health."
The two managers were each fined $4,000 based on their lack of effort to encourage repairs though they knew about the dangerous walkway, the release reported.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration was given the authority by Congress to designate serious violations that operators know about but fail to try to correct as flagrant, the release said. The agency will use its authority to ensure miners are protected by enforcing the laws without hesitation.
