Fire

NFPA Issues Outdoor Heater Fact Sheet

renewcomerLeave a comment

Because of the pandemic there are many efforts to use heaters to allow people to be in outdoor areas for dining and other social activities longer into the colder season. In response the National Fire Protection Association has issued an informative two page fact sheet that includes helpful safety information if you use propane heaters on the job or anywhere.

Click here for the Fact Sheet (pdf).

MSHA Fire Alert

renewcomerLeave a comment

In the ten months since early September 2018, MSHA has documented nine equipment fires involving Hitachi excavators and shovels and Caterpillar haul trucks, front end loaders and dozers. On September 7, 2018, a miner received fatal burn injuries when a fire occurred on a haul truck and the manually-activated fire suppression system did not function when activated. The remaining eight equipment fires were all reported as non-injury.

Access MSHA’s alert here (pdf).

Fatality #7 for Coal 2018

renewcomerLeave a comment

On Friday, September 7, 2018, a 60-year-old haul truck operator with 1 year of total mining experience received burn injuries while attempting to escape from the cab of the burning haul truck he was operating.  Due to complications associated with his injuries, the victim died five days later.
Best Practices: 

  • Thoroughly examine all haulage equipment and repair safety defects before placing equipment into service.  Follow the original equipment manufacturers maintenance recommendations.
  • Check for accumulations of combustible materials, cracked or blistered hoses, and uninsulated wires.
  • Be alert to changes in the way the equipment sounds or to a visible plume of exhaust coming from the exhaust system.
  • Conduct risk assessments on all equipment to determine safe exit locations for required escape and evacuation plans.
  • Establish and keep current an Escape and Evacuation Plan for exiting equipment in the event of a fire (§ 77.1101).  Train employees on contents of this plan.
  • Install well designed stairs or ladders to the equipment at both ends for an alternate escape.
  • Ensure fire suppression systems are properly maintained and protected from damage.  Install automatic fire suppression systems and train miners on their use.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).