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An MSHA Inspector with a sense of humor?

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,127
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
We were having our first MSHA inspection in over a year, not sure why our location has been "lucky?".

Inspector was looking around shop and pointed to a plastic drum I use for catching anti-freeze when working on equipment. As a couple years ago we heard other plants had been sighted for not having drain pans labeled so I have all the ones used for oils marked "Used Oil" and the ones I use for anti-freeze marked "Used Coolant". Well this inspector points to a nice clean and empty drain pan marked "Used Coolant" and tells me it is mislabeled. Not sure where it came from, I'll blame my smart ass remarks on my late mom, but I said back to him that it was labeled correctly as it was full of used coolant. I said we have a Deutz Air cooled diesel and the coolant from that is in the tub. He just smiled and went on with his inspection. I think he got the joke either that I will be up on Federal Charges in the morning!
 

lantraxco

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
Naw, if he's a good joe, the next time he shows up, he'll have an air sampler with him to sample the "Deutz coolant" in that there drain pan for hazardous materials!
 

JDOFMEMI

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
3,074
Location
SoCal
KS

That was quick thinking.

I had one guy wanted to cite me for an uncovered drip pan with oil in it. I asked him how it would function as a drip pan if it was covered. By his thinking, I would have been better off letting the oil drip onto the ground than to have an open container to catch it until the leak was fixed.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,127
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Well today I got him to climb the stairs to ma\y office so I could show him the "Caution" sign. He smiled when he read it. I also told the boss and the inspector that the sign has worked, before posting it had a couple fatalities, but since posting there have been none not even any close calls as traps have never been sprung! And some people question how much good those safety posters the safety director has us put up!

Tomorrow should be the last day of the three day inspection waiting to see how we make out, don't think he has written any serious paper so far.
 

amos2500

New Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2015
Messages
3
Location
United States
Hello,*
Let me introduce myself. I am Scott Amos. I work as a federal mine safety inspector for the US Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Recently, the US Department of Labor retaliated against me for filing complaints against the Agency with US Senators Jim Risch, Mike Crapo and Congressman Raul Labrador.*
*See attached letter from the Office of Special Counsel who is intervening on my part*.

My complaint against the Mine Safety and Health Administration includes myself being assaulted by MSHA Inspector Rod Gust after I filed a complaint against him for purposely endangering miners' lives at the Galena Mine, as well as physically assaulting miners who work there, him getting arrested as an MSHA inspector for assaulting miners who work there, him assaulting two Shoshone County Sheriff deputies as an MSHA inspector, then the Assistant District Manager of MSHA personally bailing Rod Gust out of jail and convincing all involved parties to drop charges against Rod Gust. Followed by Rod Gust, as a field office supervisor throwing two MSHA Inspectors through the drywall (Manuel Palma), followed by Rod Gust using an eight foot long metal scaling bar to physically assault a miner at a Nevada Mine, followed by Rod Gust verbally assaulting and physically intimidating Pamela Sherman of JL Sherman Company, (US Senator from Washington State investigating) followed by Rod Gust picking fist fights with miners at Peak Sand and Gravel, followed by Rod Gust being unnecessarily abusive and combative at Wood's Hauling and Crushing, followed by ME Observing Rod Gust endangering the lives of more than 30 miners on multiple occasions at the Galena mine in northern Idaho, which prompted 300 miners filing a petition against Rod Gust and MSHA in general, me filing a Whistleblower Complaint, and US Senator Mike Crapo personally traveling to the Galena Mine to investigate wrongdoing by MSHA, which is purposefully endangering miners and whose agents routinely engage in physical assault of miners.
Did I forget to mention the attached letter as proof that my boss Ron Jacobsen, MSHA Boise Field Office Supervisor said that he would fire me if I didn't help him cover up wrongdoing by MSHA? After I told him about Rod Gust assaulting miners and trying to leave them stranded more than a mile deep in the earth?

US Senator Jim Risch Office: (208) 342-7985*
US Senator Mike Crapo: (208) 664-5490
US Congressman Raul Labrador: (208) 888-3188

MSHA Supervisor Ron Jacobsen: 208.334.1835.

My phone number is 208.297.0634
 

mikebramel

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2012
Messages
1,612
Location
milwaukee
Scott, you work for an extortion ring. They're no different than the mafia. There's no honor among whores. Bless your ambition
 

FSERVICE

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Messages
635
Location
indiana
good thing this guy didn't show up to a mine in Kentucky!! the outcome would have been different;) he would have been a missing person report if he started a fist fight here!!! LOL
 

RZucker

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
4,077
Location
Wherever I end up
Occupation
Mechanic/welder
Had a local Labor and Industries inspector show up on a jobsite recently where I was doing some welding on a piece of equipment. He looked at my 6k autocrane, and asked if it was more than 2k capacity... then told me to tell him "no". And on he went about his site inspection. gave the rest of the guys a few tips to keep things compliant and went on his way. really cool guy. He knew we were doing our best and nothing was hinky, so he left us alone.
 

FSERVICE

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Messages
635
Location
indiana
RZ that's a good/cool inspector there!! its a shame that there is not more out there like that!!
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,127
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
RZ that's a good/cool inspector there!! its a shame that there is not more out there like that!!

While bosses may disagree, I feel 90% of the MSHA inspectors we have had over the years at the quarry where I worked were fair people. I got caught once with having a drop light with a broken light. It would have been easy to poke a finger in and touch the filament so I guess we deserved that one. I worked 95% of the time alone and just had not got around to replacing the bulb. One thing I never understood is why no one has made a point that there is no EXIT sign or light in the enclosed washbay. They make a deal of checking to see the lights work in all other shops but there has never been one in this building that was built about 20 years ago!
 

Knocker of rock

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
249
Location
US Western Cordilleran seismic zone
Had a local Labor and Industries inspector show up on a jobsite recently where I was doing some welding on a piece of equipment. He looked at my 6k autocrane, and asked if it was more than 2k capacity... then told me to tell him "no". And on he went about his site inspection. gave the rest of the guys a few tips to keep things compliant and went on his way. really cool guy. He knew we were doing our best and nothing was hinky, so he left us alone.

I would argue that you are exempt from construction crane certification under WAC 296-155-52900 (3) (g)
 

OMB

Active Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
44
Location
NH
One thing I never understood is why no one has made a point that there is no EXIT sign or light in the enclosed washbay. They make a deal of checking to see the lights work in all other shops but there has never been one in this building that was built about 20 years ago!

I've never needed to make use of an EXIT sign, I simply leave through the door I came in.:D
 

old-iron-habit

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Joined
Nov 22, 2012
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4,233
Location
Moose Lake, MN
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Retired Cons't. Supt./Hospitals
I've never needed to make use of an EXIT sign, I simply leave through the door I came in.:D

According to the State Fire Marshall's office so do 95 percent of all people, even if the fire alarms are going off and the building is on fire.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,127
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
According to the State Fire Marshall's office so do 95 percent of all people, even if the fire alarms are going off and the building is on fire.

I just thought there was some law or regulation that exit doors had to be marked, this is the only walk through door in this wash bay. If there is a power failure the two overhead doors will not function. But then a lighted exit sign would not be visible.

Just seemed strange that all other outside doors on the various shops had lighted signs that bosses would be panicing over if the MSHA inspector showed up and one was out!
 
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