According to Joe Main, MSHA assistant secretary, MSHA metal/nonmetal administrator Neal Merrifield will be retiring from the administration on 29 October 2016. The announcement was made during an MSHA stakeholder meeting on 4 October. Merrifield will be succeeded on an interim basis by Kevin Stricklin, MSHA’s coal administrator. Main said that the change is an opportunity for cross-pollination within the agency and word was given on the timing of the permanent replacement.
Merrifield announced his impending retirement at NSSGA’s Safety and Health Committee Meeting last month, though he was unaware of any plans for his successor at that time.
“We hope that MSHA moves quickly to find an administrator for the metal/nonmetal sector who knows of our operators’ demonstrated commitment to safety and compliance,” said Joseph Casper, NSSGA vice president of safety.