Groveland Twp.- The tragedies last month in the coal mines of West Virginia resulting in the death of 16 miners has at least one are area mining safety director expecting more stringent enforcement of regulations.
David Ax, safety director at Holly based Tri-City Aggregate with operations in Brandon and Groveland townships says absolute compliance is going to be mandatory.
‘I see the regulators coming in with a new set of eyes assuring the minimum safety regulations are met,? said Ax. ‘Mines are deadly, you got to know what you’re doing.?
Tri-City Aggregate operates six open mines in the area that range in size from about 50 acres to several 100. During peak production about 25 employees are directly impacted by the mine safety regulations’primarily those who operate equipment inside the massive gravel pits or operate equipment nearby. However, the public that sometimes trespass onto mine property is also part of the safety equation says Ax.
‘We have fences up to keep dirt bikes off the piles of material’put it’s not too uncommon that fences get cut and people come in.?
The township mines, similar to the deep coal mines in in West Virgina, are governed by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Tri-City’s saftey records is outstanding, says Ax. In the last 32 inspections by the FMSHA, 27 resulted in no citations. The citations that were issued included drivers not wearing seat belts duirng loading and unloading of material.