It’s OSHA and Construction which you might also be involved with, so you want to plan to participate now. Otherwise there are still great materials here.
Plan Now for OSHA Stand-Down to Prevent Falls
Author: renewcomer
February Fatality Updates
Final Reports posted:
- None
Fatalities awaiting Fatality Alert to be posted:
- 2/22/21 MNM – Powered Haulage
- 2/25/21 MNM – Slip or Fall of Person
Fatalities awaiting Final Report to be posted:
- 11/23/20 Coal – Powered Haulage
- 11/23/20 MNM – Electrical
- 12/14/20 MNM (2) – Fall of Roof or Back
- 12/15/20 MNM – Machinery
- 1/16/21 MNM – Machinery
- 1/19/21 MNM – Powered Haulage
- 2/8/21 MNM – Powered Haulage
MNM Fatality – 2/8/21
On February 8, 2021, a 38 year old ground man* was fatally injured when he became entangled in a fluted tail pulley while attempting to shovel under an adjacent fluted tail pulley at a limestone min in Potosi, MO with 12 employees*.
Best Practices:
- Design, install, and maintain area guards with signage and locks in addition to the physical barrier. Find more information on area guarding at https://www.msha.gov/guarding-slide-presentation-guarding-conveyor-belts-metal-and-nonmetal-mines.
- Design and maintain secure guards so miners can perform routine maintenance on belt conveyor systems without contacting moving machine parts.
- Do not perform work on a belt conveyor until the power is off, locked out and tagged, and machinery components are blocked against motion.
- Never clean pulleys or idlers manually while belt conveyors are operating.
- Establish policies and procedures for conducting specific tasks on belt conveyors.
- Ensure that people assigned to work on belt conveyors are task trained, understand the associated hazards, and demonstrate safe work procedures before beginning work.
- Ensure all new miners receive new miner training and task training.
Additional Information:
This is the third fatality reported in 2021, and the second classified as “Powered Haulage.” *(details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)
Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).
Celebrate National Heart Month
February is National Heart Month. The National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute (NHLBI) provides all kinds of material on healthy hearts to share any time of the year. Download Fact Sheets, Social Media Resources, State Based Infocards, Articlee, Power Point Slides, Flyers, and GIF’s like the one above.
Access the materials here. (web site)
MNM Fatality – 1/19/21
On Jan. 19, 2021, a miner (a haul truck driver with 15y 42w mining experience, 07 42w at this task and mine in Orem, UT with 40 employees*) backed a haul truck to the edge of a dump point that was over steepened by a loader removing material at the bottom of the slope. When the edge of the bank failed, the haul truck traveled backwards and overturned, landing on the roof of the cab. The miner was fatally injured.
Best Practices:
- Always dump material in a safe location. If ground conditions aren’t reliable, dump loads a safe distance back and push the material over the edge.
- Never load material from the toe directly below an active dump point. This may lead to an over steepened and unstable slope.
- Never drive haul trucks beyond cracks on the top of the dump site.
- Always construct substantial berms as a visual indicator to prevent overtravel. Clearly mark dump locations with reflectors and/or markers.
- Always wear a seatbelt.
- Install advanced systems that restrain miners during roll-overs.
- Maintain communication between equipment operators and loaders.
- Train miners to use safe dumping procedures and recognize dumping hazards such as material slides and other unsafe conditions.
Additional Information:
This is the second fatality reported in 2021, and the first classified as “Powered Haulage.” *(details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)
Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).
January Fatality Updates
Final Reports posted:
- 9/16/20 MNM – Powered Haulage
- 10/9/20 Coal – Machinery
- 10/13/20 Coal – Powered Haulage
- 10/14/20 MNM – Powered Haulage
- 10/19/20 MNM – Machinery
- 10/27/20 Coal – Fall of Roof or Back
- 11/8/20 MNM – Machinery
Fatalities awaiting Fatality Alert to be posted:
- 1/19/21 – Powered Haulage
Fatalities awaiting Final Report to be posted:
- 11/23/20 Coal – Powered Haulage
- 11/23/20 MNM – Electrical
- 12/14/20 MNM (2) – Fall of Roof or Back
- 12/15/20 MNM – Machinery
MNM Fatality – 1/16/21
On Jan. 16, 2021, a miner (a 47 year old Driller/Blaster with 7y 32w experience*) was fatally injured (at a mine in Anchorage, AK with 251 employees*) while using a tool to remove a down-the-hole hammer. The drill motor turned unexpectedly, pinning the driller’s leg between the tool and the drill mast.
Best Practices:
- Establish and discuss safe work procedures before starting any task.
- Identify and control all hazards. Train all workers to recognize potential hazards and understand safe job procedures to eliminate hazards before beginning work.
- Follow manufacturer’s procedures for using equipment, and monitor employees for compliance.
- Position yourself in a safe location away from potential “danger-zone” areas.
- Train miners to safely perform their tasks.
- Conduct equipment inspections and correct any defects affecting safety.
Additional Information:
This is the first fatality reported in 2021, and the first classified as “Machinery.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)
Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).
Spring Thaws Go Virtual
The traditional Spring Thaws held around the country are virtual this year so you may be able to attend them even if they aren’t in your area. Spring Thaws are held by mining industry hosts to:
• increase awareness and recognition of mining hazards.
• improve hazard correction.
• encourage safe work practices.
At these events, safety professionals from mining and equipment companies, associations, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration share information on a range of mining hazards. While MSHA does not sponsor these events, they encourage miners to take advantage of those offered in your area, in-person or virtual.
You can see the schedule on MSHA’s web site here.
MNM Fatality – 12/15/20
On December 15, 2020, a (contractor*) miner (age 58 with 22 years mining experience*) was fatally injured while changing the rear tire on a front-end loader (at a mine in Pikeville, KY with 9 employees*). The victim was underneath the front-end loader when it fell.
Best Practices:
- Securely block raised equipment to prevent movement.
- Do not rely solely on hydraulic jacks.
- Perform equipment maintenance requiring lifting or raising equipment on a level and solid ground.
- Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for changing tires.
- Establish safe operating procedures for all work.
- Ensure all workers are trained in safe operating procedures.
Additional Information:
This is the 29th fatality reported in 2020, and the ninth classified as “Machinery.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)
Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).
MNM Fatalities (2) – 12/14/20
On December 14, 2020, two miners (age 27 & 41 with 22 weeks & 27 weeks experience*) died when a back failure occurred in a large four-way intersection (at a mine in Avery Island, LA with 200 employees*). The miners were pumping sealing grout in the intersection when blocks of salt and anhydrite fell from beneath a slickenside onto the miners.
Best Practices:
- In areas of excessive span or adverse geology:
- Install supplemental ground support to control strata movement.
- Install sag monitors or extensometers to detect ground movement or strata separation.
- Drill and evaluate test holes for strata separation using a borescope or scratch test.
- Use geologic hazard mapping to identify adverse conditions.
- Be alert to any change of ground conditions.
- Report hazardous or abnormal conditions.
- Perform thorough workplace examinations where miners work or travel.
- Identify and scale hazardous ground conditions from a safe location.
- Train miners to recognize hazards and follow safe work practices, especially before they perform new tasks.
Additional Information:
These are the 27th and 28th fatalities reported in 2020, and the second and third classified as “Fall of Roof or Back.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)
Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).