Federal judge orders Colorado mining company to ban owner from worksite until he completes required safety training

Summary:

Duckels Construction Inc., owned by Fred Duckels, has been ordered by the U.S. District Court of Colorado to prevent Fred Duckels from entering the mining site permanently until he completes mandatory safety training. The order was issued following an investigation by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) after it was found that Fred Duckels had failed to comply with mandatory safety training. Despite the order, Fred Duckels continued to work at the mine and was involved in several near misses and reportedly injured a worker with an excavator. The U.S. Department of Labor's Regional Solicitor, John Rainwater, emphasized the importance of operators complying with federal safety requirements, including completing required training, to ensure the safety of miners.