Mining Fatalities

MNM Fatality – 2/22/21

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On Feb. 22, 2021, a 26-year-old underground chute puller was fatally injured as a passenger of a rail-mounted locomotive when he was crushed between the deck of the locomotive and an overhead chute at a lead-zinc ore underground mine with 114 employees in Strawberry Plains, TN*.

Best Practices: 

  • Install controls such as rail stops at loading points, crossings, etc., where track equipment must stop. 
  • Install reflective signs or warning lights well in advance of low clearance areas to alert miners of the upcoming hazard.
  • Develop safe working procedures to avoid low clearance and pinch point areas.  Monitor workers to ensure these procedures are followed.
  • Always look in the direction the equipment is moving in, and keep all body parts within the operator’s compartment while a vehicle is moving.
  • Conduct proper travelway examinations to identify and mitigate the hazards presented by low clearances. 
  • Train all workers to recognize potential hazards and understand safe job procedures and tasks to eliminate hazards before beginning work.

Additional Information: 

This is the 4th fatality reported in 2021, and the third classified as “Powered Haulage.” *(details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)

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

MNM Fatality – 2/8/21

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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).

MNM Fatality – 1/19/21

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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).

MNM Fatality – 1/16/21

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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).

MNM Fatality – 12/15/20

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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

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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).

MNM Fatality – 11/23/20

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On November 23, 2020 (at a mine in Houston, TX with 12 employees*), a (39 year old Maintenance Mechanic with 1 year 7 weeks experience*) was electrocuted while troubleshooting a disconnect box for the classifier drive motor. The victim had the electrical disconnect box open and the main power supply was not deenergized.

Best Practices: 

  • Ensure electrical circuit components are properly designed and installed by qualified electrical personnel.
  • Ensure electrical troubleshooting and work are performed by people with proper electrical qualifications. Positively identify the circuit on which work will be conducted.
  • Before performing electrical work, locate the visual disconnect away from an enclosure and open it, lock it, and tag it, to ensure all electrical components in the enclosure are de-energized. Verify by testing for voltage using properly rated test equipment.
  • Wear properly rated and well maintained personal protective equipment, including arc flash protection such as a hood, gloves, shirt and pants.
  • Train miners on safe work practices for electrical equipment and circuits.

Additional Information: 

This is the 26th fatality reported in 2020, and the second classified as “Electrical.”  (* Italicized details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)

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

Coal Fatality – 11/23/20

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On Nov. 23, 2020, (at a mine in Dawes, WV with 154 employees*) a (20 year old*) miner (with 1 year and 8 weeks mining experience*) was fatally injured when the battery-powered scoop he was operating ran over a section of pipe in the roadway. The four-inch plastic pipe entered the operator’s compartment and struck him.

Best Practices: 

  • Conduct thorough examinations of roadways and remove material that could pose a hazard to equipment operators, passengers, or other miners.
  • Keep roadways free of excessive water, mud, and other conditions that reduce an equipment operator’s ability to control mobile equipment.
  • Secure loads on haulage vehicles to prevent them from falling off into roadways.
  • Install substantial guarding to prevent material from entering the operator compartment.
  • Establish safe operating procedures for mobile equipment and a maintenance schedule for roadways.

Additional Information: 

This is the 25th fatality reported in 2020, and the seventh classified as “Powered Haulage.” (* Italicized details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)

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

MNM Fatality – 11/8/20

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On Nov. 8, 2020, (at a mine in Round Mountain NV with 864 employees*) a (58 year old*) bulldozer operator (with 41 years mining experience*) was killed when his bulldozer backed over the edge of a highwall (and came to rest over 300 feet downhill*).

Best Practices: 

•    Install and maintain lights to illuminate working places during the night and early morning hours.
•    Install berms, signs or devices to identify the edge of working benches and to allow equipment operators to maintain control of equipment.
•    Train equipment operators to identify dangerous conditions and to keep the dozer blade between the operator and the edge when near drop-offs.
•    Develop and enforce policies requiring safety belts when operating machinery.

Additional Information: 

This is the 24th fatality reported in 2020, and the eighth classified as “Machinery.” (* Italicized details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)

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

Coal Fatality – 10/27/20

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On Oct. 27, 2020, a miner (age 37 with 1 year 40 weeks experience*) was digging a hole (in an underground mine in Williamstown, PA with 8 employees*) to install a wooden post for roof control when a section of the roof fell on him.

Best Practices: 

  • Thoroughly examine the roof, face, and ribs where people will be working and traveling, including sound and vibration testing where applicable.
  • Scale loose roof and ribs from a safe location. Prevent access to hazardous areas until appropriate corrective measures can be taken.
  • Set temporary support before installing permanent support.
  • Be alert for changing conditions and report abnormal roof or rib conditions to mine management and other miners.
  • Know and follow the approved roof control plan and provide additional support when cracks or other abnormalities are detected. Remember, the approved roof control plan contains minimum requirements.
  • Propose revisions to the roof control plan to provide measures to control roof hazards.

Additional Information: 

This is the 23rd fatality reported in 2020, and the first classified as “Fall of Roof or Back.” (* Italicized details added by safeminers.com)

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