[vundy33]

OK, and this isnt too much of a direct shot at you, and Im gonna try to say this as politely as I can. You have absolutely zero idea of what your talking about concerning MSHA or their inspectors. Let me put it to you this way. MSHA inspectors are basically brainwashed into thinking that any and every violation is an S&S violation (very serious violations, and stiff fines follow), and 99.9% of the time, you can bet your last dollar that its written up, and there is NO avoiding a written violation concering an S&S. No they arent bought, and there isnt a mine anywhere thats went violation free everytime they step foot on its property. Some are serious. Some arent, but that is their job, and trust me CO87, they do it well. I am speaking, of course, for underground mining, so you may have a point as far as strip mining. But I can tell you, from first hand experience, that no matter what you do underground, it will be wrong. Every single thing you do is critiqued. Every detail, from the color tabs on a fire extinguisher, to the cleanliness of a section, is combed over with an extra fine comb.

Great post...when my dad was a foreman at a surface mine a few years back they wrote him a fine for a 1 INCH crack in the glass of an excavator...They take that stuff serious. To many people die around here because of careless crap.