Author: renewcomer

Fatality Updates

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All along I have updated Fatalities posted here to include Final Reports and other notices when available. This usually takes weeks until they are posted and lately months and months. Because the update appears on the initial posting they most likely go unnoticed by those following this blog. I’m going to start entering a separate post to notify of the update along with a link to take you to the original post now updated. I hope this helps to keep you in the know when it comes to the hazards that are costing miners their lives.

It is usually safe to assume that a Fatality post that is missing the Final Report then MSHA has yet to release it, but if you’re unsure or a link doesn’t work please notify me at randy@safeminers.com.

Because it also takes MSHA more than a week to post what we used to call Fatalgrams giving the basic information about a fatality I, I’ll also post notices of fatalities that are pending Fatality Alerts. This will be without any additional information since there is so little offered at this point. At this writing we’re still awaiting a Fatality Alert for a December 23 Coal Fatality and a MNM one that occurred January 8.

OSHA’s Winter Weather Resources

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Outdoor work requires proper preparation, especially in severe winter weather conditions. Although OSHA does not have a specific standard that covers working in cold environments, employers have a responsibility to provide workers with employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards, including winter weather related hazards, which are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to them (Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970). Employers should, therefore, train workers on the hazards of the job and safety measures to use, such as engineering controls and safe work practices, that will protect workers’ safety and health.

Click Here to go to OSHA’s Winter Weather page.

2019 Fatality #23 / MNM #13

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A contract maintenance mechanic was performing elevator maintenance when the car descended, crushing the mechanic against an elevator platform. The person died at the scene on December 3, 2019.

Best Practices: 

  1. De-energize, lock out and tag out, and block machinery or equipment that can injure miners – before entering the area.
  2. Post warning signs or barricades to keep miners out of areas where health or safety hazards exist.
  3. Install an audible alarm to warn of impending equipment movement.
  4. Evaluate and correct possible hazards promptly before working.
  5. Train personnel in safely using handrails and fall protection equipment during maintenance and construction activities. Ensure their use.

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

Penn State Supervisor Safety Seminar

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The Penn State Miner Training Program, in cooperation with government and industry sponsors, is hosting a seminar and a series of professional development workshops on January 22 and 23, 2020. The objective of the seminar and the workshops is to enhance the safety management skills of supervisors. If you only attend one seminar this year the Professional Development Mine Safety Seminar for Supervisors should be the one! 

Click here for more information and to register online.

Annual Blasting Seminar

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This tuition-free seminar is for mining company managers, blasting engineers, blasters, and others involved with the planning, design, and use of explosives in the mining industry. The seminar will be held at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beaver, West Virginia, starting at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2020, and ending at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 20, 2020.

Location: National Mine Health and Safety Academy, 1301 Airport Rd., Beaver, WV 25813-9426
Date: February 19, 2020

Contact Jared Adkins at 304-256-3472 or adkins.jared@dol.gov for more information or click here for brochure (pdf).

2019 Fatality #22 / MNM #12

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While spotting for a dump truck, a contractor stepped directly into the path of a bulldozer and died at the scene on November 16, 2019.

Best Practices: 

  1. Safety first. Before starting work, establish and discuss safe work procedures. Identify and control all hazards associated with the work and properly protect workers.
  2. Know where people are. Be aware of body positioning around equipment, traffic patterns, dump sites, and haul roads.
  3. Train miners and contractors on traffic controls, mobile equipment patterns, and other site-specific hazards.
  4. Stay alert. Do not place yourself in harm’s way.
  5. Communicate with mobile equipment operators and ensure they acknowledge your presence.
  6. Ensure travelways are clear before moving a vehicle or mobile equipment.
  7. Look behind you. Install “rear viewing” cameras or other collision warning systems on mobile equipment. When backing up, look over your shoulder to eliminate blind spots. When using mirrors, use all available mirrors.
  8. Wear reflective material while working around mobile equipment. Use flags, visible to equipment operators, to make miners and smaller vehicles more visible.

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

2019 Fatality #21 / MNM #11

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A mobile maintenance mechanic was driving on the pit haulage road when the service truck he was operating left the road, hit a berm, and flipped onto its side, ejecting the miner. The miner died at the scene on November 5, 2019.

Best Practices: 

  1. Always wear seat belts when operating mobile equipment.
  2. Maintain control and stay alert when operating mobile equipment.
  3. Conduct adequate pre-operational checks and correct any safety defects before operating mobile equipment.

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

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week

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Get infographic and other materials here.

To bring heightened awareness to the perils of driving while sleep-deprived, the National Sleep Foundation declares November 3-10, 2019 as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week ®. The Foundation’s annual outreach effort aims to reduce the number of drivers who decide to drive sleep-deprived — responsible for more than 6,400 U.S. deaths annually — through accessible research and communications tools.

A poll commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) shows that a total of 97% of those polled see drowsy driving as a threat to safety, with more than 68% considering it to be a major threat. Furthermore, three in 10 Americans reported not knowing how many hours they could be awake without sleep and still drive safely. These findings highlight the need for public education on how to assess one’s alertness and risk of driving while drowsy.

Fatality #17 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2018

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[Note: The Fatality Alert for this first appeared 10/16/19. As noted below the incident didn’t become a fatality until the victim died on 6/27/19.]

On June 15, 2018, a miner fell from a man basket when the weldment securing the basket to the shovel failed. The miner died of his injuries on June 27, 2019.

Best Practices

  • Check for damage. Routinely examine metal structures for signs of weakness (corrosion, fatigue cracks, bent/buckling beams, braces or columns, damaged/loose/missing connectors, broken welds, etc.).
  • Replace cracked equipment fast. Small cracks in equipment can quickly grow into a complete fracture. Take cracked mechanical components out of service immediately.
  • Know the limits. Consult with the manufacturer to determine the service/fatigue life of mechanical systems or parts.

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