Author: renewcomer

MNM Fatality – 6/9/21

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On June 9, 2021, two miners, a 55 year old foreman with 24 years of experience and a 65 year old supervisor with 42 years’ experience*, were fatally injured at a mine with 1062 employees*, when a locomotive collided with the personnel carrier in which they were riding. 

Best Practices: 

  • Install lights or other engineering controls to let miners know when it is safe to travel on track haulageways.
  • Implement a communicaton system so that one person, who is not on any mobile equipment, has the sole authority to authorize travel on track haulageways.
  • Establish and maintain effective communication protocols that require identification, location and intended travel, between locomotives, light vehicles and foot traffic.
  • Train miners on proper traffic patterns and procedures.

Additional Information: 

These are the 16th and 17th fatalities reported in 2021, and the 8th and 9th classified as “Powered Haulage.”  (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

June Fatality Updates

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Final Reports posted:

Fatalities awaiting Fatality Alert to be posted:

  • 6/9/21 Coal – Powered Haulage

Fatalities awaiting Final Report to be posted:

It’s That Time of Year

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There’s no doubt about it. It’s HOT and Summer has actually just begun! Heat is a serious safety issue, but you can take steps to reduce the risk of serious illness. There’s a pamphlet available that you can print out and use in training workers to take the proper precautions themselves, look out for others, and provide First Aid when someone becomes ill from the heat.

Click here for: OSHA’s Prevent Heat Illness at Work pamphlet in English or Spanish (pdf).

MNM Fatality – 6/7/21

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On June 7, 2021, at a mine with 25 employees*, a 56 year old hopper operator with 6 years and 36 weeks experience* entered the top of a primary feed hopper to break up and remove a large rock. Raw material that remained on the sides of the hopper sloughed off and engulfed the miner.

Best Practices: 

  • Equip hoppers with mechanical devices, grates/grizzlies or other effective means of handling material so miners are not required to enter or work where they are exposed to entrapment by caving or sliding material.
  • Establish and assure policies and procedures are followed to safely remove blockages in bins and hoppers. Follow manufacturer recommendations.
  • Provide a safe means of access that allows miners to safely conduct tasks such as removing large rocks and other material.
  • Wear an appropriate safety harness, lanyard and lifeline which are securely anchored and constantly monitored and adjusted by another person, as needed, prior to entering bins or hoppers.
  • Train miners in safe work procedures and hazard recognition especially when removing blockages in bins or hoppers.

Additional Information: 

This is the 15th fatality reported in 2021, and the second classified as “Handling Material.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

Coal Fatality – 6/3/21

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On Thursday, June 3, 2021, a 42-year-old section foreman with 16 years 40 weeks of experience* was fatally injured when he was hit by a shuttle car at an underground mine with 115 employees.* The victim was struck when he walked into the path of a loaded shuttle car that was traveling to the dump point. 

Best Practices: 

•    Install proximity detection systems on mobile equipment to protect personnel and eliminate accidents of this type.
•    Be aware of your location in relation to movement of equipment, especially in lower seams.
•    Sound audible warnings, distinguishable from surrounding noise, and reduce speed when approaching and before traveling through check curtains.  Wear reflective clothing or strobe lights to aid visibility when working around mobile equipment.
•    Assure all personnel are clear of the traveling path and turning radius before moving equipment.
•    Train miners and equipment operators to communicate their location and wait for acknowledgement before moving.Additional Information: 

This is the fourteenth fatality reported in 2021, and the seventh fatality classified as “Powered Haulage.”  (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

Coal Fatality – 6/2/21

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On June 2, 2021, a 26-year-old section foreman with five years of mining experience at an underground mine with 462 employees* was pinned against a continuous mining machine by a piece of rib. The piece fell while he was installing a rib bolt with the machine mounted rib drill.

Best Practices: 

  • Support loose roof and rib material adequately or scale loose material from a safe location before working or traveling in an area.
  • Examine the roof, face and ribs immediately before starting work in an area and throughout the shift as conditions warrant.
  • Take additional safety precautions when mining heights increase and in areas where mine conditions change.
  • Train miners to recognize roof and rib hazards and to stop work in the area until the hazards are corrected.

Additional Information: 

This is the 13th fatality reported in 2021, and the first classified as “Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

May Fatality Updates

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Final Reports posted:

  • none

Fatalities awaiting Fatality Alert to be posted:

  • 6/2/21 Coal – Fall of Face, Rib, Side, or Highwall
  • 6/3/21 Coal – Powered Haulage

Fatalities awaiting Final Report to be posted:

MNM Fatality – 5/18/21

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On May 18, 2021, a telehandler at an underground mine with 113 employees and 7 contract employees* was towing a trailer with a diesel pump onboard up an inclined underground roadway when the tow hitch suddenly broke. The trailer rolled down the roadway, striking and fatally injuring a 35 year old* contract laborer with 1 year experience*.

Best Practices: 

  • Use towing hardware (hitches, tow bars, receivers, couplers, pins, pintles, safety chains/cables, etc.) which is properly designed and rated. Before each use, examine towing hardware for wear, cracks and other damage. 
  • Never exceed the recommended maximum towing capacity of a tow vehicle or trailer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and only use equipment designed for towing.
  • Always use properly sized safety chains in conjunction with hitches. Safety chains keep the trailer connected to the tow vehicle in case the other tow hardware fails.
  • Never position yourself directly behind equipment being towed uphill.
  • Establish procedures for safe and proper towing. Train miners to follow these procedures and identify hazards associated with towing.

Additional Information: 

This is the 12th fatality reported in 2021, and the third classified as “Machinery.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), final report (pdf).