Powered Haulage

MNM Fatality – 5/2/23

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On May 2, 2023, a miner died when he was struck by a mobile radial stacker conveyor.

Best Practices

  • Provide safe access to all working places by identifying hazards around belt conveyor systems.
  • Deenergize, lock out, tag out, and block equipment from hazardous motion before performing maintenance or repairs.
  • Provide remote e-stops to allow for safe access around moving equipment.
  • Train miners to work around moving equipment, including the hazards associated with the work to be performed. 

Additional Information

This is the 18th fatality reported in 2023, and the fourth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

Coal Fatality – 3/22/23

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On March 22, 2023, a miner died when the personnel carrier he was riding overturned.  Another miner riding on the personnel carrier accidentally actuated the emergency stop causing the personnel carrier to drift backwards down a grade.  The personnel carrier struck a coal rib and overturned, pinning the victim beneath it.  The victim was not riding in a designated seating area.

Best Practices

  • Maintain steering and braking components.
  • Perform functional tests of brakes and other safety devices during the pre-operational examination.
  • Tag out and remove equipment from service when defects affecting safety are found.
  • Do not exceed the maximum designed seating capacity of personnel carriers. 
  • Operate mobile equipment at speeds consistent with roadway conditions.
  • Task train miners on all equipment they operate.

Additional Information

This is the 14th fatality reported in 2023, and the third classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

MNM Fatality – 3/9/23

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On March 9, 2023, a truck driver died when the tractor’s rear wheels ran over him.  A front-end loader struck the tractor-trailer from behind, causing the tractor to move forward.

Best Practices

  • Do not leave mobile equipment unattended unless the transmission is in the park position, and parking brakes of all units in a combination vehicle are set.
  • Chock or turn wheels of mobile equipment into a bank when parked on a grade.
  • Never position yourself in hazardous areas around mobile equipment.

Additional Information

This is the 11th fatality reported in 2023, and the second classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

MNM Fatality – 1/17/23

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On January 17, 2023, a miner was fatally injured when his personal car collided with a customer truck. Both vehicles were traveling toward each other in opposite directions on an icy mine access road.

Best Practices

Operators should:

  • Clear roadways of ice and snow or require traction devices to assure safe operation of mobile equipment.
  • Alert drivers to reduce speed on wet or icy roads. 
  • Maintain control of equipment while it is in operation.

Additional Information

This is the second fatality reported in 2023, and the first classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

MNM Fatality – 12/6/22

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On December 6, 2022, a miner died when the diesel tractor he was operating struck a pillar.  The miner was thrown from the tractor and crushed under the rear tire of the tractor.

Best Practices

  • Make sure miners wear seat belts when operating mobile equipment.
  • Make sure miners maintain control of equipment while it is in operation.
  • Train miners in the safe performance of their assigned tasks.

Additional Information

This is the 28th fatality reported in 2022, and the fifth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

Coal Fatality – 8/17/22

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MINE FATALITY – On August 17, 2022, a general inside laborer died when he was caught between a supply car and its coupler.  The victim was sitting on the supply car which was coupled to a locomotive parked in a track spur.  The locomotive was struck by another locomotive pulling three loaded cars into the mine.  The impact knocked the victim off the supply car, killing him.

Best Practices: 

  • Assure track switches are in the proper position for your direction of travel and the latches are in contact with the rail.
  • Make sure miners are in a safe location away from equipment parked in a track spur when other equipment is passing along the main rail line.
  • Make sure miners communicate their location and intended movements with the dispatcher.  Repeat the switch alignment back to the dispatcher, where applicable.

Additional Information: 

This is the 18th fatality reported in 2022, and the fourth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

MNM Fatality – 1/28/22

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On January 28, 2022, while driving downhill, the 56 year-old driver of a concrete mixer truck was fatally injured after he lost control of the truck.  The truck overturned and the driver was ejected from the truck.  Another miner, who was in the truck, was also ejected and suffered serious injuries.

Best Practices: 

  • Each shift, inspect mobile equipment before placing it into operation.  Correct defects that pose a hazard to miners.  Tag out mobile equipment that can’t be corrected.
  • Assure brakes can stop and hold mobile equipment with its typical load on the maximum grade it travels.
  • Always wear seat belts when operating mobile equipment.
  • Maintain control of mobile equipment and drive at safe speeds.

Additional Information: 

This is the sixth fatality reported in 2022, and the second classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here or: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

MNM Fatality – 2/14/22

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On February 14, 2022, a 34 year-old maintenance technician died while driving a lube truck underground.  The truck over traveled the edge of a stope and fell approximately 60 feet into the stope drift.

Best Practices: 

  • Provide berms, bumper blocks, safety hooks, or similar impeding devices at dumping locations where there is a hazard of over travel.
  • Examine working places before work begins for conditions that may adversely affect safety and health

Additional Information: 

This is the seventh fatality reported in 2022, and the third classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: preliminary report (pdf) Final Report (pdf).

MNM Fatality – 1/26/22

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On January 26, 2022, a dump truck rolled backward onto a 54 year-old miner while the miner was attempting to troubleshoot a brake issue.  The dump truck operator was unaware that the miner was under the truck when he released the parking brake, allowing the dump truck to roll backward. 

Best Practices: 

  • Block machinery or equipment against hazardous motion before performing repairs or maintenance.
  • Communicate with mobile equipment operators and assure they acknowledge your presence, before traveling near mobile equipment.  Do not assume that mobile equipment operators know that you are in the vicinity.

Additional Information: 

This is the 5th fatality reported in 2022, and the first classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

MNM Fatality – 12/13/21 Surface

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On December 13, 2021, a customer truck driver (victim) stopped at a designated tarping area and was assisting another driver with a rear trailer indicator light.  The victim’s truck moved forward and pinned him against the back of the other driver’s truck.

Best Practices: 

  • Do not leave mobile equipment unattended unless the transmission is in the park position, the parking brake is set, and the trailer brakes are engaged.
  • Block, or secure from movement, mobile equipment parked on a grade.
  • Never position yourself in hazardous areas around mobile equipment parked on a grade that is not blocked or secured from movement.
  • Train customer truck drivers on site-specific hazards.

Additional Information: 

This is the 37th fatality reported in 2021, and the 17th classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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