On July 3, 2013, an 87-year-old contract employee was mowing an impoundment embankment with a skid steer machine equipped with a front-mounted brush mower. The victim was mowing the 40 degree embankment in a vertical direction when the machine traveled into the impounded water, submerging the machine, and drowning the operator.
Best Practices
- Conduct a risk assessment prior to performing work and ensure that miners use proper equipment, tools, and procedures to eliminate hazards.
- Provide hazard training to all personnel working on or near an impoundment for recognition of hazards associated with the impoundment.
- Set up a communications protocol when persons are working alone.
- Wear properly fitted personal floatation devices (PFD) when working around bodies of water.
- Never assume an employee is knowledgeable in the task they are being assigned.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).