On Sunday, October 6, 2013, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a 44-year old bulldozer operator, with approximately 10 years of experience, sustained fatal injuries when the dozer he was operating went over the edge of a highwall.
Best Practices
- Task train miners adequately on the equipment they will operate.
- Train all employees on safe work procedures, hazard recognition, and hazard avoidance.
- Maintain a safe distance from the edge of the highwall.
- Ensure adequate berms are in place.
- Be familiar with your work environment. Before beginning work, look at the area, walk around it, and plan the safest way to move the material and maneuver the equipment.
- Ensure illumination is adequate when work is performed during non-daylight hours.
- Maintain control of equipment at all times during operation.
- Ensure that personnel operating mobile equipment always wear a seat belt.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)