Two recent fires occurred that involved front-end loaders. These fires proved very dangerous to miners and fire fighters because the off-road tires exploded, resulting in a dangerous release of energy. Large off-road tires can throw debris 900 feet when they explode. Although the exploding tires did not injure anyone during these accidents, one front-end loader operator received burns and injuries when he jumped from the loader
Click here for: Safety Flyer (pdf)
It was a beautiful day to be outside and those who attended the CSS Roundtable meeting enjoyed it along with coffee, pastries, and conversation… and a reclaimed mine tour as well. Participants had some good discussion on MSHA, the new Mine Safety legislation for coal and gassy underground MNM mines, training plans, effective training, the National Joseph A Holmes meeting, and more for about an hour. Then we all walked down to the old sand mine on the property of the Ephrata Township Park and continued the discussion with conversation on mine reclamation, DEP mining issues, and tried to volunteer one another to find out how deep the water was.
Though not always held at a park, the Roundtables are held every quarter and sponsored by Complete Safety Solutions. Anyone is welcome to attend. Details on the next one appear about a month before and you can sign up here.
COAL MINE FATALITY – On Thursday, July 1, 2010, a 60-year old section electrician was fatally injured when he was run over by a shuttle car. The victim was last seen walking outby the face in a connecting crosscut. As the loaded shuttle car was leaving the continuous miner, the victim was discovered under the shuttle car.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf)
Hey look up. Right at the top of this web page. I’ve added a new tab for Events. Here you’ll find great events like workshops, seminars, and other special events to increase your knowledge of what it takes to be safe and network with other safety professionals and like-minded folk.
Check it out. I’ll keep posting good stuff there and if you have your own non-commercial event to publicize let me know. Click on the Contact Me tab to do that.
On June 24, 2010, a 29 year old continuous mining machine operator with 12 years experience received fatal injuries when he was caught between the right rib and the remote controlled continuous mining machine he was operating.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).
Thanks to John Henderson, the Program Manager at the Texas Mine Safety and Health Program at the University of Texas at Austin for pointing me to some great resources on their site. I’ll be posting them on the Resources page as well as integrating some right into the blog. For example, they translate the MSHA MNM Fatalgrams into Spanish. It’s a great resource if you have any workers who’s native language is Spanish.
You can click here to access their web page and also watch for them with the links that follow the Fatalgrams that are posted here such as Fatality #1 and Fatality #2 from this year. The links from the fatality will, like the links to investigations, etc., be posted as soon as they are available.
On June 20, 2010, a 52 year-old mechanic with 8 years of experience was fatally injured at a surface copper operation. A ½ ton pickup truck had parked in front of a 240 ton haul truck that was also parked. The haul truck pulled forward and struck the pickup truck fatally injuring the driver and seriously injuring another miner.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview(powerpoint), Overview(pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)
If you’re in the southeast/south central part of Pennsylvania and want to gather for a couple of hours with safety-minded folks in the mining and construction industry you’re invited to attend one of our quarterly meetings. This month we’re gathering at a local park that was reclaimed from a sand mine. You can find an invite at http://bit.ly/1007roundtable .
There’s no cost, but I ask that you register here so we know you’re coming.
On June 18, 2010, a 29 year-old contract miner with 6 years of experience was fatally injured at an underground silver mine. The victim was scaling loose ground in a stope when he was struck by falling material approximately 3½ feet long by 2½ feet wide by 2 feet thick.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)
On Wednesday, June 16, 2010, a 42 year old Section Foreman with 17 years of mining experience was fatally injured. While he was installing rib support, a section of rib 12 feet wide x 15 feet 6 inches high x 9 feet thick fell, knocking over a roof jack that struck him.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)