CEMEX de Puerto Rico Paying Almost $300,000 in Penalties for Mine Violations
The company's settlement resolves 119 citations and orders issued for safety violations at its Ponce Cement Plant and Cantera Canas mines. MSHA issued the citations and orders for violations including obstructed and unsafe travel ways and workplaces, safety defects on mobile equipment and machinery, and unguarded machine parts.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced July 7 that cement producer CEMEX de Puerto Rico has agreed to pay $291,722 in penalties and will implement enhanced safety measures at its three MSHA-regulated facilities in Puerto Rico. The company's settlement resolves 119 citations and orders issued for safety violations at its Ponce Cement Plant and Cantera Canas mines. MSHA issued the citations and orders for a wide variety of violations, including obstructed and unsafe travel ways and workplaces, safety defects on mobile equipment and machinery, and unguarded machine parts.
An administrative law judge with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission approved the settlement on June 7, 2016.
CEMEX de Puerto Rico has agreed to, within 30 days of the date of the agreement, hire an independent, outside safety consultant knowledgeable about surface mining and cement plant operations to conduct annual, wall-to-wall employee safety audits of three facilities during the next four years. Also, it will arrange for MSHA's Educational Field and Small Mine Services to teach a mine safety course and cement plant safety course to safety directors, assistant safety directors, area supervisors and foremen.
Regional Solicitor Jeffrey S. Rogoff said he expects these steps will provide a safer working environment for CEMEX's employees. CEMEX de Puerto Rico is a subsidiary of CEMEX, a global building materials company.