On September 7, 2011, a 30 year-old miner with I year of experience was killed at an underground gold mine. The victim was on a ramp waiting for a blast to be initiated. When the round was initiated, small rock and debris traveled through a 3-inch diameter diamond borehole, striking him.
- Plug a diamond drill hole that intersects any opening and map the hole.
- During blasting operations, consider mine specific conditions, including diamond drill holes and rock strata, and establish mine policies and procedures to protect all persons.
- When developing a blasting plan, make sure all drilled holes and open passageways that intersect the area to be blasted are known and taken into consideration before initiating any blast.
- Use a central blasting system and schedule blasting between shifts or on off-shifts when no one is present.
- Train persons to identify hazards associated with blasting activity and take action to correct them.
- Never initiate a blast until the blast area has been determined to be safe and all persons have been evacuated from the designated blasting area.
- Take special precautions to ensure that all roadways and regularly traveled areas are blocked to prevent access when blasting is being conducted.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report(pdf), Overview(powerpoint), Overview (pdf).