On Saturday, November 23, 2013, a 32-year-old longwall shieldman with 5 years of mining experience was killed when he was struck by high pressure hydraulic fluid from a panline valve bank. The victim was advancing shields and the panline when a hydraulic hose extending from the panline to a shield was pinched between a shield pontoon and the mine floor. As the shields and panline advanced, a fitting on the hydraulic hose broke where it was attached to a panline valve bank.
Best Practices
- Keep all high pressure hydraulic hoses free from pinch points, sharp edges, and abrasive areas.
- Use whip checks to prevent excessive free motion of hoses at connection points.
- Ensure proper hose routing to eliminate abrasion damage and exposure to ignition and electrical sources.
- Do not locate high pressure hoses in travel ways or in areas where miners are regularly exposed to them.
- Replace hydraulic hoses with hoses identical (length, diameter, pressure rating, etc.) to the original hose.
- Always assure pressure is removed from any hoses being replaced.
- Always check for defective hydraulic hoses and replace damaged hydraulic hoses immediately.
- Train miners on the dangers associated with hydraulic hoses on long wall faces and in proper maintenance procedures for the hydraulic system.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).