On March 15, 2023, a miner drowned when the ground sloughed causing the excavator he was operating to topple into a water-filled pit. The excavator became submerged in approximately 25 feet of water.
Best Practices
Mine operators should:
• Install berms at the edge of the working surface so machinery can operate a safe distance from the water.
• Evaluate ground conditions and mining methods before operating equipment near water.
• Examine work areas and equipment and correct unsafe conditions.
• Task train equipment operators on the operation of machinery.
Additional Information
This is the 12th fatality reported in 2023, and the fourth classified as “Machinery.”
Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).