Falling Sliding Material

Fatality #13 & #14 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2010

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On August 12, 2010, a 38 year-old maintenance technician with 3 years of experience and a 47 year-old operations miner with 21 years of experience died at an underground gold mine. They were working from the top of a conveyance in a 16-foot diameter ventilation shaft attempting to locate and free a blockage in a 24-inch-diameter aggregate delivery pipe. While the conveyance was near the 820 foot level, the entire pipe from the shaft collar to the 860 level broke away and fell to the bottom at the 1330 foot level. The pipe struck the conveyance as it fell, causing the hoist drum to break away from its support base. The victims were found at the bottom of the shaft.

Best Practices
  • Routinely examine pipe support structures for indications of excessive corrosion and cracked, missing, or damaged: clamps, brackets, support beams, and connections.
  • Conduct periodic visual and non-destructive examination on couplings and pipes for corrosion, abrasion thinning, cracking, and loose connections.
  • Inspect and test process monitoring systems to ensure safety controls are functioning properly.
  • Perform construction and maintenance in accordance with design drawings and specifications.
  • Minimize exposure to hazards by using equipment such as air cannons and vibrators to prevent or clear blockages.
  • Ensure that miners are in a safe position to avoid falling objects or materials.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf),  MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview(pdf).

Fatality #1 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2010

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On January 9, 2010, a 20 year-old contractor laborer with 21 weeks of experience was fatally injured at a copper operation. Two track excavators were being used to place a 400-foot long section of 24-inch diameter plastic pipe into a pond. To facilitate the installation process, the pipe was placed on top of an adjacent section of pipe that was previously placed on the plastic lining of the pond. During installation, the pipe being installed misaligned and the victim and two coworkers attempted to remove the end of this pipe from the top of the existing pipe. At that time, the end of the pipe shifted, hit a coworker, and then struck the victim. The victim fell to the ground and the pipe landed on him. The coworker was not injured.

Best Practices

  • Task train all persons prior to performing any work.
  • Always stay clear of suspended loads.
  • Use taglines of sufficient length to adequately protect persons from potential hazards.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report(pdf), Overview(powerpoint), Overview(pdf), Spanish Fatalgram(doc)

Fatality #2 for Coal Mining 2010

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On Friday, January 22, 2010, at approximately 9:15 a.m., a 29 year old continuous miner operator with 12 years of mining experience was fatally injured when a rib roll, approximately 70 inches high, 63 inches long, and 103 inches wide, occurred. The victim was operating a remote control continuous mining machine to clean a previously bolted crosscut when he was struck by the coal rib and pinned against the mine floor.

Best Practices

  • Conduct a thorough visual examination of the roof, face, and ribs immediately before any work or travel is started in an area and thereafter as conditions warrant.
  • Adequately support or scale any loose rib or roof material before beginning work.
  • Perform careful examinations of pillar corners, particularly where the angles formed between entries and crosscuts are less than 90 degrees.
  • Permanently support openings that create an intersection before any work or travel in the intersection.
  • Be alert to changing geologic conditions which may affect roof/rib conditions.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (doc)

Fatality #7 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2009

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On April 21, 2009, a 51-year old contract laborer with 3 years of experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel dredging operation. The victim was inside an excavation ditch while an excavator was maneuvering a concrete box into place. The chain used to attach the four leg sling from the box to the excavator broke. The box fell into the hole and struck the victim crushing him.

Best Practices

  • Identify hazards associated with the task to be performed, review those hazards with all personnel involved, and implement measures to ensure persons are properly protected.
  • Communicate lift plans to all persons working in the lift zone to ensure that no one is under a suspended load.
  • Stay clear of a suspended load.
  • Attach taglines to loads that may require steadying or guidance while suspended.
  • Use sling or chain assemblies (rigging) specifically intended for lifting and adequately rated for the loads being lifted.
  • Carefully inspect all rigging prior to each use.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report(pdf), Overview(powerpoint), Overview(pdf)

Fatality #2 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2009

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On January 17, 2009, a 48 year-old mill operator with 22 weeks of experience was fatally injured at a crushed stone milling operation. The victim was loading material into a hopper with a front-end loader. He entered the hopper to dislodge frozen bridged material that would not feed onto the belt conveyor below. Coworkers found the victim engulfed in the hopper.

Best Practices

  • Establish and review procedures to ensure all possible hazards have been identified and appropriate controls are in place to protect persons before beginning work.
  • Train miners in safe work procedures and hazard recognition, specifically when clearing blocked hoppers.
  • Lock out discharge operating controls.
  • Ensure a safety harness properly secured to a lanyard is worn and a second person is positioned outside to adjust the lanyard.
  • Management should routinely monitor these activities to ensure miners are protected from possible hazards.
  • Provide vibrating shakers to maintain material flow or mechanical means of safely removing material if hoppers experience recurring flow problems.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report(pdf), Overview(powerpoint), Overview(pdf)

Fatality #1 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2009

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On January 6, 2009, a 41 year-old laborer with 3 years of experience was injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was operating a skid steer loader underneath a belt conveyor that was being dismantled. Two coworkers were in an elevated manlift removing a 12-foot piece of 4-inch metal tubing from the leg supports of the belt conveyor frame. The tubing fell into the front of the skid steer loader as it approached the work area, striking the victim. He was hospitalized and died on January 9, 2009. The red line shows the original location of the tubing.

Best Practices

  • Establish and review procedures to ensure all possible hazards have been identified and appropriate controls are in place to protect persons before beginning work. Discuss procedures with all persons present in the work area.
  • Establish policies to ensure that barricades or warning signs are installed to prohibit access and protect persons from falling object hazards.
  • Remove all persons from beneath the area where overhead work is being performed.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report(pdf), Overview(powerpoint), Overview(pdf)