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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On January 25, 2005, a
49-year-old quarry operator, with 14 years mining experience,
was fatally injured at a cement operation. The victim was
cleaning loose material and pumping water from the primary
crusher conveyor belt basement. He contacted an unguarded
return idler that was about four feet above the ground and was
trapped between the conveyor belt and the return idler.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Examine work areas to identify all possible hazards and
take all precautions to safely perform the task before the
work begins.
- Ensure that moving machine parts are guarded to protect
persons.
- Ensure that miners are prohibited from traveling through
areas or performing work where they are exposed to moving
machine parts that can cause injury.
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On January 31, 2005, a
33-year-old mechanic, with four years mining experience, was
fatally injured at an underground stone operation. The victim
was operating a tractor while traveling up a grade. Apparently
the tractor contacted a rib and overturned, pinning him.
BEST PRACTICES:
•
- Ensure adequate pre-operational checks are conducted on
all self- propelled mobile equipment and that any defects
found are promptly corrected.
- Ensure that service brakes will stop and hold mobile
equipment prior to operating mobile equipment.
- Exercise caution when approaching grades and operate
mobile equipment in the appropriate gear at speeds
consistent with the grade being traveled.
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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday, February 16, 2005
at 5:20 p.m., a 28-year old laborer fell onto a concrete slab
from a height of 16 feet 9 inches, resulting in fatal
injuries. During the shift, the victim and a co-worker had
been installing hand rails and toe boards around the second
floor of an idle preparation plant that was in the process of
being refurbished. The accident occurred at the end of the
shift as the victim was in the process of putting away his
tools. The other worker had left the area to turn off the
oxygen and acetylene tanks and did not see the accident occur,
but found the victim lying on the concrete surface below an
area that had not been guarded to protect persons from
falling.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Always use fall protection equipment, safety belts and
lines, when working near elevated openings where there is a
danger of falling.
- Protect and guard all openings through which persons my
fall.
- Keep work areas clear of all extraneous materials and
other stumbling or slipping hazards.
- Establish, and train personnel in, safe work procedures
regarding the removal and installation of hand-rails and
toe-boards during maintenance and construction.
- Install temporary barriers such as chain or rope first,
and remove them when the project is completed.
- Work place examinations should be made by competent
persons to identify hazards associated with construction.
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On March 11, 2005, a
23-year-old laborer, with one year mining experience, was
fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim had
entered a bin and was attempting to dislodge material that had
adhered to the inside walls. The victim was not wearing a
safety belt secured to a lanyard. He was engulfed when the
material suddenly broke free.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Ensure supply and discharge operating controls are
locked out.
- Ensure a safety harness properly secured to a lanyard is
worn and a second person is positioned outside to adjust the
lanyard.
- Ensure miners have been trained to safely perform the
task.
- Miners should discuss the work procedures, identify all
possible hazards, and ensure steps are taken to safely
perform the task.
- Management should routinely monitor these activities to
ensure miners are protected from possible hazards.
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On March 14, 2005, a
66-year-old plant operator with two years mining experience
was injured when a work boat he and another co-worker were on
capsized. A crane and the boat were being used in an attempt
to retrieve a dredge anchor from the bottom of a dredge pond.
The crane and the boat were simultaneously hooked to the
anchor line. The crane operator's view of the boat was
obstructed and there were no communications established
between the crews. Because there was too much slack in the
cable connection to the crane, the crane backed away from the
shore, capsizing the boat. Two co-workers rescued the two
employees from the cold water and administered cardiopulmonary
resuscitation to revive the victim. He was hospitalized and
died on March 24, 2005. None of the employees were wearing
life jackets that were available on the boat.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Ensure that a life jacket is worn where there is a
danger of falling into the water.
- Establish and maintain positive two-way communications
between crews, including using a spotter if necessary, when
performing tasks that must be coordinated.
- Conduct a risk analysis before starting the task to
ensure that all hazards are evaluated and eliminated.
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On March 23, 2005, a
34-year-old contractor laborer, with one week of mining
experience, was fatally injured at a cement operation. The
victim was inside the basket of a boom lift. While lowering
the basket, that was loaded with material, he pinned himself
between the steel beam on the 3rd floor of the building and
the control panel of the boom lift.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Ensure that contract employees are properly trained to
safely operate the equipment they are using.
- Use equipment only for its intended purpose. Boom lifts
are not cranes!
- When using boom lifts in work areas with limited space,
ensure that the controls are placed in the slowest speed to
avoid abrupt movement.
- Management should routinely monitor work activities to
ensure that miners are protected from possible hazards.
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY -On March 28, 2005, a
49-year-old contractor electrician was fatally injured at a
surface stone operation. The victim was performing repairs
inside an electrical box when he contacted an energized
component.
BEST PRACTICES:
•
- Positively determine which circuit is to be worked on.
- Disconnect power from the circuit.
- Lock out and tag out the circuit with YOUR lock.
- Test the circuit for voltage using properly rated test
equipment.
- Ground the circuit.
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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Tuesday, March 29, 2005, at
approximately 8:30 a.m., a 21-year old utility man/scoop
operator, with 20 months of mining experience, was fatally
injured while operating a battery-powered tractor (shield
hauler). While backing the battery tractor into a crosscut,
the rear tires of the machine ran over a 14-foot length of
metal channel. This caused one end of the channel to raise,
enter the operator's compartment, strike and fatally crush the
victim.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Examine active roadways as often as necessary to ensure
safety, particularly when hauling loose materials.
- Maintain all roadways free of materials that may pose a
hazard to equipment operators, passengers or miners.
- Emphasize safe operating procedures for equipment and
maintenance of roadways in all training programs.
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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Thursday, March 31, 2005, a
49-year old continuous mining machine operator was fatally
injured at an underground mine. The victim started mining in
the crosscut between the Nos. 5 and 6 entries and continued to
the No. 7 entry intersection, a distance of approximately 65
feet. As he was cleaning up coal in the crosscut, a roof fall
measuring approximately 22 feet by 20 feet and 5 to 6 feet
thick crushed the victim as he stood at the outby edge of the
unsupported intersection in the No. 6 entry. The victim had
approximately 28 years of mining experience, 5 months of which
were at this mine.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Know and follow the approved roof control plan.
- Never travel under unsupported roof.
- Never employ mining methods that result in exposing
miners to the hazards of unsupported roof.
- Be alert to changing roof conditions at all times
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On April 1, 2005, a
50-year-old mechanic, with 30 years mining experience, was
fatally injured on the surface of an underground lime
operation. The victim and a co-worker were attempting to
install a fan housing on a coal mill. They had positioned a
steel pipe against a concrete wall to support an
electrically-powered, hydraulic ram that was utilized to push
the housing into position. During this process, the pipe
became dislodged and struck the victim.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Conduct a Risk Assessment before beginning a task, to
evaluate the work procedures, identify all possible hazards,
and ensure steps are taken to safely perform the task.
- Establish policies that ensure procedures are developed
and followed to safely complete repair tasks.
- Ensure the proper equipment is utilized so that
equipment components are blocked to prevent hazardous
movement.
- Ensure that miners are not positioned in areas where
they are exposed to hazards resulting from a sudden release
of energy.
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On April 4, 2005, a
47-year-old mechanic, with 28 years mining experience, was
fatally injured at an underground trona mine. A forklift was
being used to position a motor that was being installed on a
continuous miner. The forklift engine was shut off to
facilitate communication. The service brakes failed; allowing
the forklift to drift forward. The victim was pinned against
the continuous miner.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Ensure adequate pre-operational examinations are
conducted on all self-propelled mobile equipment and defects
affecting safety are promptly corrected.
- Before beginning a task, miners should discuss the work
procedures, identify all possible hazards, and ensure steps
are taken to safely perform the task.
- Ensure that all braking systems installed on mobile
equipment are functioning properly with the engine operating
and also when it is shut off.
- Always obtain Operator's Manuals and Service Manuals for
all mobile equipment and ensure their use by mechanics and
operators.
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On April 4, 2005, a
47-year-old laborer, with eight days mining experience, was
fatally injured at a surface sand and gravel operation. He was
operating a skid loader and dumping material into the plant
grizzly. The loader traveled onto the grizzly; overturned, and
landed on the ground below. The victim, who was not wearing
the seat belt, was ejected.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Ensure miners have been Task Trained prior to allowing
them to operate mobile equipment.
- Install berms, bumper blocks, or similar impeding
devices at dumping locations where there is a hazard of
overtravel or overturning.
- Conduct adequate pre-operational examinations on all
self-propelled mobile equipment and correct all defects
affecting safety.
- Always wear a seat belt when operating mobile equipment.
- Exercise caution when approaching dumping locations;
operate mobile equipment at an appropriate speed, and travel
with the bucket lowered until stopped and ready to dump.
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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Thursday, April 21, 2005, a
22-year old contractor employee (Field Service Technician),
with 27 months total experience, was fatally injured while
repairing a Caterpillar 980 G front-end loader. The victim was
working in the articulation area of the front-end loader when
it unexpectedly pivoted, crushing the victim within the pinch
point.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Never work or travel in the loader's articulation area
without engaging the steering frame lock or without using
another effective means of preventing motion if the lock
cannot be used.
- Lower the bucket and shut-off the machine before
performing maintenance.
- Follow the manufacturer's guidelines and recommended
procedures for safe repair and maintenance of equipment.
- Observe and follow all warning labels and signs on
equipment.
- Include safe procedures for repair and maintenance of
equipment in training programs.
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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On April 28, 2005, a
52-year-old electrician leadman, with 30 years mining
experience, was fatally injured at an underground platinum
operation. The victim was last known to be working on a door
control switch located approximately 15 feet from a set of air
lock doors. A co-worker, returning to the area, found him
caught between the closed doors.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Conduct a Risk Assessment and communicate before
beginning a task, to evaluate the work procedures, identify
all possible hazards, and ensure steps are taken to safely
perform the task. Establish procedures to safely complete
repair tasks.
- When working near air lock doors, block them and bleed
off any stored energy to prevent hazardous movement.
- Ensure that miners are not positioned in areas where
they are exposed to hazards resulting from a sudden release
of energy.
- Before working on equipment, disconnect power from the
circuit, lock out, and tag out the circuit.
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Fatality #15 - May 11, 2005 |
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Powered Haulage - Underground
- WV
Consolidation Coal Company - Shoemaker Mine |
This bulletin is part of the Mine Safety and Health Administration's
(MSHA) program to alert the mining industry in a timely manner
of a tragic loss of life in the mines. We encourage you to
consider the above information as you make safety decisions
for or recommendations to your company or constituency. The
information provided in this notice is based on preliminary
data ONLY and does not represent final determinations regarding
the nature of the incident or conclusions regarding the cause
of the fatality.
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