Alaska Employment Law

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration fined Alaska Mechanical, Inc. $115,000 for safety violations leading to the July 2007 deaths of two employees at Rock Creek Mine in Nome.  MSHA’s report details the multiple violations. 

Now MSHA has levied the fine for the conduct that it summarizes as follows:

The two victims had been assigned to install roofing bolts to secure the metal roof of the mill building under construction. While one worked on the top portion of the roof, the other operated a manlift and installed bolts along the roof’s edges. Toward the end of their work shift, the men were preparing to be transported to the ground from the lift when it became unsteady. The basket hit the side of the mill building below the roof line, and the boom, which had been extended about 90 feet above ground, toppled over.

MSHA’s investigation of the accident concluded that the manlift had not been positioned on solid, level ground and the center hydraulic lift cylinder was not intended for load-bearing support while raising or extending the boom. Furthermore, training for the manlift operator was incomplete and did not address the load management system provided on the unit.

MSHA has issued the contractor a regular moderate negligence citation and a high negligence unwarrantable failure citation. The violations were assessed at $55,000 and $60,000, respectively.

According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AMI continues to dispute the charge that its employee training was inadequate.