On August 5, 2013, a 55-year old plant manager with 5 years of experience was killed at a crushed stone operation. The victim looked into an operating crusher and a tooth, that broke free from an excavator bucket, was ejected from the crusher and struck him.
- Establish and discuss policies and procedures for safely clearing a cone crusher. Consider a mechanical method for clearing material to minimize exposure to persons performing the work.
- Task train persons to recognize all potential hazardous conditions and to understand safe job procedures for elimination of the hazards before beginning work.
- Before working on or near equipment, ensure the equipment power is off and locked out/tagged out. Ensure the equipment has been securely blocked against hazardous motion to ensure energy cannot be released while performing work.
- Always maintain equipment in a safe operating condition.
- Provide a safe means of access for persons required to maintain a cone crusher.
- Provide guards, shields, or other devices to protect persons from the hazard of flying or falling materials generated from the operation of screens, crushers, or conveyors.
- Implement measures to ensure persons are properly positioned and protected from hazards while performing a task.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview (pdf).