The campaign consists of six ads, each highlighting the company’s green practices and their technical support:

* From Sand to Grand – building construction;

* From Hard Rock to Rock & Roll – stadium construction;

* From Pebbles to Pedals – stadium construction;

* From Rock Field to Home Field - stadium construction;

* The Bridge to Bermuda – bridge construction; and

* Our Runways Handle 900,000-Pound Models – runway and airport construction.

Attorney outlines MSHA jurisdictional issues

At the recent 2008 Michigan Aggregates Association annual meeting, Maryland attorney Adele L. Abrams, Esq., told attendees that the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is expanding its authority. “Not only are they cracking down hard on mining operations, but they are also trying to expand their turf, and this impacts those of you that have multifaceted operations,” Abrams said, according to an article in Michigan Contractor and Builder.

She added that she had handled cases where MSHA asserted jurisdiction at asphalt batch plants, showed up at off-site maintenance shops that primarily work on construction equipment but might be repairing mining equipment, and went into stockpile sales yards that were not located at the active quarry.

“If these things happen, make sure you tell them that they have overstepped MSHA’s jurisdiction. These are cases where you would want to go to an expedited hearing for any citations they issue,” said Abrams, adding that if operators allow inspectors in and don’t dispute their jurisdiction, they effectively waive that argument in the future.

“What we’re dealing with right now is the fallout from the Sago Mine disaster,” she said. “The mining industry regulation environment changed forever, I think, on Jan. 2, 2006.”

Mine rescuers test their skills

Mine rescue teams recently had their skills put to the test at the 2008 Metal/Nonmetal National and International Mine Rescue Contest, a three-day event sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration. More than 30 teams from 14 states, as well as 11 teams representing seven other countries, competed in the contest, which consisted of several events.

In the Mine Rescue contest, teams raced against the clock to solve a hypothetical mine emergency problem while adhering to mine rescue procedures. Emergency medical technicians tackled real-life scenarios in the First Aid contest. In the Benchman and Multi-gas contests, rescue equipment maintenance personnel were timed as they inspected breathing devices and gas instruments to identify defects.

First place in the Mine Rescue contest, as well as Best All Around Team honors, went to FMC Alkali Chemicals’ red team in the national competition. First place in the international competition went to the team from Australia.