The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in a final rulemaking declared that it has raised penalty amounts for two specific violations in order to ensure that cost-of-living adjustments mandated by law are implemented, according to a report from the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA).

The effect is that 8.3 percent inflation increases (dating back to 2008, when cost-of-living increases were last done), will be factored against operators alleged to have committed unwarrantable failures (up to a maximum of $242,000, from $220,000), and failure to provide timely notification under section 103j (up to a maximum of $65,000 from $60,000), according to NSSGA. The change was announced in the Dec. 28, 2012 edition of the Federal Register, and will be effective Jan. 28, 2013, according to NSSGA.