Surface

MNM Fatallity – 8/22/24 OK

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On August 22, 2024, a contractor was installing a material feeder when they fell approximately 21 feet through an opening in the walkway platform.  The contractor died from his injuries on September 6, 2024.

Best Practices

  • Conduct workplace examinations to identify conditions that may adversely affect the safety or health of miners.
  • Provide and maintain safe access to all working places.  Use personnel lifts or ladders to access elevated workplaces safely.
  • Provide and ensure proper use of fall protection where there is a danger of falling.  Ensure fall protection has a suitable fall arrest connection and secure anchorage system.
  • Identify risks and eliminate or control hazards before beginning maintenance activities.
  • Train miners to perform tasks safely and use tools and personal protective equipment properly.

Additional Information

This is the 18th fatality reported in 2024, and the second classified as “Slip or Fall of Person.”

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

MNM Fatality – 8/4/24

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On August 4, 2024, a contractor suffered severe chemical and thermal burns after he stepped into a deep opening in the floor obscured by puddled liquid. The contractor fell into a mixture of hot water and caustic liquid. On September 2, 2024, he died from his injuries.

Best Practices

• Install adequate warning signals and barricades for openings above, below, or near travelways where miners, including contractors, or materials may fall.
• Conduct workplace examinations to identify conditions that may adversely affect the safety or health of miners.
• Keep workplaces, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms clean and orderly.
• When wet processes are used, maintain drainage and provide false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing areas where practicable.

Additional Information

This is the 17th fatality reported in 2024, and the first classified as “Slip or Fall of Person.”

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

MNM Fatality – 8/9/24

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On August 9, 2024, an electrician was seriously injured by an arc flash from a 4,160 VAC circuit while working on an electrical panel for a motor control center.  On August 22, 2024, he died from his injuries.

Best Practices

  • Lock out and tag out circuits before working on electrical equipment:
    • Identify and control all hazardous energy sources before starting any task.
    • Open the circuit breaker or load break switch to de-energize the equipment. 
    • Open the visual disconnect to confirm that incoming power is off.
    • Lockout/Tagout the visual disconnect.
    • Ground the de-energized conductors.
  • Use properly rated electrical meters and personal protective equipment, such as electrically rated gloves, arc flash protection suits, insulated blankets or mats, and polycarbonate barriers. 
  • Establish safe procedures before beginning work and discuss them with all miners involved in the task.

Additional Information

This is the 15th fatality reported in 2024, and the second classified as “Electrical.”

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

MNM Fatality – 6/14/24

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Note: This alert was posted as a Safety Alert for Tire Explosion on 7/19/24 and didn’t come up on my radar as a specific Fatal Alert. Sorry for the delay in posting to this site. – Randy

On June 14, 2024, one firefighter died, and another was injured when a front end loader tire exploded while firefighters fought the equipment fire.

Best Practices

In the event of a possible or actual fire (e.g., odor, heat, smoke, flames):

  • Stop the machine, lower all attachments, set the parking brake, and turn the equipment off.
  • Actuate the machine-mounted fire suppression system, if available.
  • Safely exit the machine and retreat to a safe location, preferably 1,000 feet away.
  • Warn all others in the vicinity of the fire, notify management, and contact appropriate emergency personnel.
  • Do not attempt to extinguish a tire fire with a hand-held extinguisher.
  • Wait for emergency responders to arrive. Stay clear of the fire.
  • From a distance, emergency personnel can use a fire or water truck to cool down the equipment. (See SAE J2828NOV2016 – Off-Road Tire Handling Guidelines.)

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

Coal Fatality – 7/12/24

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On July 12, 2024, a rock truck operator was seriously injured after being struck by the bucket of a front-end loader.  While walking to her parked truck, the rock truck operator passed under the raised front-end loader bucket as it was being lowered to the ground during maintenance.  On July 23, 2024, the rock truck operator died from her injuries.

Best Practices

  • Provide adequate illumination for miners performing maintenance.
  • Ensure the work area is clear and barricade equipment before performing maintenance.
  • Communicate your intended movements with mobile equipment operators and ensure they acknowledge your presence before traveling near mobile equipment.  
  • Stay clear of raised equipment or machinery until it has been lowered or securely blocked against motion.  
  • Wear reflective clothing when working in dark conditions.

Additional Information

This is the tenth fatality reported in 2024, and the fifth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

Coal Fatality – 5/16/24

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On May 16, 2024, a miner died when the excavator he was operating traveled over a 200-foot highwall. 

Best Practices

  • Reduce fall hazard exposure by limiting the distance equipment can safely operate near the edge of highwalls. 
  • Examine benches to identify hazards related to insufficient bench width, locations of other equipment, loose material, etc.
  • Discuss highwall hazards with miners and train miners to recognize these hazards.
  • Address hazards in the mine’s Surface Mobile Equipment Safety Program.  Include safe work practices for weather conditions (fog, heavy rain, or snow) that could reduce visibility.

Additional Information

This is the seventh fatality reported in 2024, and the second classified as “Machinery.”

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

MNM Fatality – 5/9/24

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On May 9, 2024, a miner died when he was pinned between the personnel lift that he was operating and the roof of a structure.  The miner was tramming the personnel lift from the basket to conduct a roller repair on an elevated belt conveyor.

Best Practices

  • Ensure miners maintain control of personnel lifts while in operation.
  • Use a spotter when moving mobile equipment in congested areas and around structures.
  • Monitor miners routinely to ensure miners follow safe work procedures while operating personnel lifts. 
  • Ensure miners are aware of their location in relation to nearby structures.
  • Conduct workplace examinations to identify and eliminate hazards before beginning work in an area.
  • Train miners in the safe performance of their tasks in accordance with the manufacturer’s manual.

Additional Information

This is the sixth fatality reported in 2024, and the fourth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

MNM Fatality – 5/8/24

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On May 8, 2024, a miner was electrocuted while unloading a roll of belt from a trailer.  The miner was performing rigging duties when the crane boom contacted an overhead high-voltage powerline.

Best Practices

  • Ensure that booms or masts of equipment are not operated within 10 feet of any energized overhead powerline.
  • Designate one person on the ground, located in a safe location, to give signals to the crane operator and watch placement and proximity of the boom.
  • Use non-conducting tag lines to steady loads when operating cranes where overhead power lines are present.
  • Post warning signs at all approaches to overhead powerlines; install barricades where necessary.

Additional Information

This is the fifth fatality reported in 2024, and the first classified as “Electrical.”

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

MNM Fatality 4/15/24

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On April 15, 2024, a miner died when the tail section of a collapsible belt conveyor fell and pinned him between the tail section and middle section.  The miner was working as part of a crew to tear down the conveyor in preparation to be moved.

Best Practices

  • Block all equipment against hazardous motion before beginning work.
  • Stay clear of suspended loads.
  • Never enter or work in pinch points or Red Zones around equipment.
  • Identify hazards associated with the task, review those hazards with all miners involved, and implement measures to protect miners.
  • Train all miners in the safe performance of tasks.

Additional Information

This is the fourth fatality reported in 2024, and the third classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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

MNM Fatality – 2/6/23

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This fatality never had an alert posted individually by MSHA but was mentioned in this Electrical Saety Alert. The following text is from the Final Report.

On February 6, 2023, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Javier Regalado-Cano (Regalado), a 61 year-old haul truck driver with over a year of mining experience, was fatally injured when he received an electrical shock. While Regalado was operating a haul truck, he raised the bed of the haul truck into the energized 13,800-volt phase-to-phase power lines (power lines). Regalado exited the haul truck and extinguished a fire on the haul truck’s left rear dual tires. Regalado received an electrical shock when he contacted the energized haul truck while reentering it. 

The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) install warning devices for the power lines, and 2) de-energize or take other precautionary measures when mobile equipment was operating near energized power lines. 

Additional Information

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