On May 19, 2025, a miner died when the haul truck he was operating traveled through a berm and over an approximately forty-foot highwall to the bench below. 

Best Practices

• Maintain control of self-propelled mobile equipment while it is in motion.
• Ensure berms and guardrails are at least as high as the mid-axle height of the largest mobile equipment using the roadway.  The effectiveness of a berm depends not only on its height, but also on its base width and compaction.
• Always wear a seatbelt and remain in the cab with your seatbelt on while operating mobile equipment.  Never attempt to exit or jump from an out-of-control vehicle.
• Ensure miners are adequately task trained in the safe operation of all equipment they use.
• Perform pre-operational examinations of mobile equipment.

Additional Information

This is the 13th fatality reported in 2025, and the sixth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Cllick here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

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).

On February 1, 2014, a 56-year old contract belt operator with 4 months of experience was killed at an iron ore mine. The victim was cleaning a return idler inside the frame of a belt conveyor when he became entangled between the return idler and the belt.

Best Practices

• Establish policies and procedures for conducting specific tasks on belt conveyors.
• Before beginning any work, ensure that persons assigned to clean belt conveyors are task trained and understand the hazards associated with the work to be performed.
• Do not perform work on a belt conveyor until the power is off, locked, and tagged, and machinery components are blocked against motion.
• Never clean pulleys or idlers manually while belt conveyors are operating.
• Identify hazards around belt conveyor systems, design guarding, and securely install the guarding to ensure miners do not contact moving parts.

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