Machinery

Fatality #7 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2014

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ftl2014m07On April 17, 2014, a 58-year-old truck driver with 3½ years of experience was killed at a sand and gravel mine. An excavator was loading material in a haul truck parked at the pit. When the victim exited the truck, he was struck by the excavator bucket and pinned against the truck.

Best Practices

  • Establish and discuss safe work procedures before beginning work. Identify and control all hazards associated with the work to be performed and use methods to properly protect persons.
  • Task train all persons to recognize all potential hazardous conditions and to understand safe job procedures for elimination of the hazards before beginning work.
  • Ensure that haul truck operators remain in their trucks when being loaded.
  • Communicate with mobile equipment operators and ensure they acknowledge your presence.  Stay in the line of sight with mobile equipment operators.
  • Ensure that you make eye contact with mobile equipment operators before approaching their work areas.  Never assume the equipment operator sees you.
  • Never place yourself in a location where equipment operators can’t see you.
  • Before operating equipment, always ensure other miners are clear and safely  positioned.
  • Monitor persons routinely to determine safe work procedures are followed.

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

Fatality #3 for Coal Mining 2014

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ftl2014c03On Tuesday, March 25, 2014, at approximately 1:45 a.m., a 41-year-old mechanic trainee with 23 weeks of mining experience was killed while working on a belt feeder. The victim was cutting through the inner left side plate of the crawler assembly that connects the hopper jack assemblies to the crawler frame. When the cut was completed, the crawler assembly pivoted upward, pinning the victim between the crawler track and the frame of the feeder.

Best Practices
  • Ensure that all stored energy is released or controlled before initiating repairs.
  • Securely block equipment against all hazardous motion at all times while performing maintenance work. Take extra precautions if it is possible for the equipment to move in multiple directions.
  • Always be aware of your location in relation to machine parts that can move.  Examine work areas for hazards that may be created as a result of the work being performed.
  • Establish and discuss safe work procedures before beginning work.  Identify and control all hazards associated with the work to be performed to ensure miners are protected.
  • Study the manufacturer’s maintenance manual for safety precautions and recommended blocking securing procedures BEFORE initiating repairs.
  • If specified, always use the manufacturer’s safety device(s) or features for securing components against motion.
  • See additional information on blocking against motion here.

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

Fatality #2 for Coal Mining 2014

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ftl2014c02On Friday, February 21, 2014, a 24-year-old continuous mining machine operator with 5½ years of mining experience was killed when he was pinned between the end of the boom of a continuous mining machine and the right coal rib. The miner was tramming the remote controlled continuous mining machine in the last open crosscut toward the Number 1 entry.

Best Practices
  • Install and maintain proximity detection systems to protect personnel and eliminate accidents of this type. See the proximity detection single source page on the MSHA website.
  • Ensure everyone, including the equipment operator, is outside the machine turning radius before starting or moving equipment.
  • Develop policies and procedures for starting and tramming self-propelled equipment and especially remote controlled continuous mining machines. Implement measures to assure their use which includes training all miners that are exposed to the hazards.
  • Avoid the “RED ZONE” areas when operating or working near a continuous mining machine especially when setting over or place changing a remote controlled continuous mining machine.
  • When moving continuous mining machines where the left and right traction drives are operated independently, use the low tram speed.
  • Assign another miner to assist the continuous mining machine operator when it is being moved or repositioned.
  • Frequently review, retrain, and discuss avoiding the “RED ZONE” areas.

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

Fatality #20 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c20On Saturday, November 23, 2013, a 32-year-old longwall shieldman with 5 years of mining experience was killed when he was struck by high pressure hydraulic fluid from a panline valve bank. The victim was advancing shields and the panline when a hydraulic hose extending from the panline to a shield was pinched between a shield pontoon and the mine floor. As the shields and panline advanced, a fitting on the hydraulic hose broke where it was attached to a panline valve bank.

Best Practices
  • Keep all high pressure hydraulic hoses free from pinch points, sharp edges, and abrasive areas.
  • Use whip checks to prevent excessive free motion of hoses at connection points.
  • Ensure proper hose routing to eliminate abrasion damage and exposure to ignition and electrical sources.
  • Do not locate high pressure hoses in travel ways or in areas where miners are regularly exposed to them.
  • Replace hydraulic hoses with hoses identical (length, diameter, pressure rating, etc.) to the original hose.
  • Always assure pressure is removed from any hoses being replaced.
  • Always check for defective hydraulic hoses and replace damaged hydraulic hoses immediately.
  • Train miners on the dangers associated with hydraulic hoses on long wall faces and in proper maintenance procedures for the hydraulic system.

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

Fatality #17 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c17On Sunday, October 6, 2013, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a 44-year old bulldozer operator, with approximately 10 years of experience, sustained fatal injuries when the dozer he was operating went over the edge of a highwall.

Best Practices

  • Task train miners adequately on the equipment they will operate.
  • Train all employees on safe work procedures, hazard recognition, and hazard avoidance.
  • Maintain a safe distance from the edge of the highwall.
  • Ensure adequate berms are in place.
  • Be familiar with your work environment. Before beginning work, look at the area, walk around it, and plan the safest way to move the material and maneuver the equipment.
  • Ensure illumination is adequate when work is performed during non-daylight hours.
  • Maintain control of equipment at all times during operation.
  • Ensure that personnel operating mobile equipment always wear a seat belt.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)

Fatality #13 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c13On Friday, August 16, 2013, a 24-year-old utility person with nearly 3 years of mining experience was killed when the Ford F350 utility pickup truck he was driving was crushed by a P&H 2800 electric shovel. A bulldozer and two pickup trucks were following the shovel while traveling up a grade (approximately 9%). The shovel rolled backward down the grade and hit the bulldozer and the two trucks. The driver of the first truck was killed, and the driver of the second truck sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital.

Best Practices

  • Ensure the grade is within equipment capabilities and equipment braking and steering systems function as designed.
  • Establish procedures that require smaller vehicles to maintain a safe distance from large mobile equipment. Provide training in those procedures.
  • Use clear communication at all times. Utilize radios to communicate when visual contact cannot be maintained.
  • Ensure road widths are sufficient for equipment movement.
  • Designate specific roadways or provide alternate routes for light duty vehicles in high activity or congested areas.
  • Ensure sufficient clearance is available for equipment movement.

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

Fatality #11 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c11On July 31, 2013, a 28-year-old mechanic with 7 years of experience, was killed while checking a strut on a rock truck. He was removing the top cap of the strut when the cap loosened, allowing the truck frame to abruptly drop. The victim was pinned between the top of the right front tire and the bottom of the fender.

Best Practices

  • Perform maintenance and repairs only after blocking machinery and components against motion.
  • Before loosening hydraulic hoses or components, determine if they are supporting something or trapping pressure.
  • Ensure warning labels are visible. Check them regularly and replace any labels that are illegible.
  • Consult and follow the manufacturer’s recommended safe work procedures for the maintenance task, and monitor work to ensure procedures are followed.
  • Ensure that safe work procedures are in place for specific tasks, machines, etc.
  • Before performing any job, consider all hazards and implement formal procedures that address hazards.
  • Ensure that you are positioned in a safe location when performing maintenance and repairs.

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

Fatality #10 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2013

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ftl2013m10On August 5, 2013, a 55-year old plant manager with 5 years of experience was killed at a crushed stone operation. The victim looked into an operating crusher and a tooth, that broke free from an excavator bucket, was ejected from the crusher and struck him.

Best Practices

  • Establish and discuss policies and procedures for safely clearing a cone crusher. Consider a mechanical method for clearing material to minimize exposure to persons performing the work.
  • Task train persons to recognize all potential hazardous conditions and to understand safe job procedures for elimination of the hazards before beginning work.
  • Before working on or near equipment, ensure the equipment power is off and locked out/tagged out. Ensure the equipment has been securely blocked against hazardous motion to ensure energy cannot be released while performing work.
  • Always maintain equipment in a safe operating condition.
  • Provide a safe means of access for persons required to maintain a cone crusher.
  • Provide guards, shields, or other devices to protect persons from the hazard of flying or falling materials generated from the operation of screens, crushers, or conveyors.
  • Implement measures to ensure persons are properly positioned and protected from hazards while performing a task.

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

Fatality #4 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c04On Wednesday, February 13, 2013, a 28-year-old continuous mining machine operator was killed when he was pinned between the tail of the remote controlled continuous mining machine and the coal rib. The victim had mined the first two lifts of the cut sequence in the No. 1 entry. While repositioning the continuous mining machine to mine the final cut on left side, the victim was pinned between the tail of the machine and the coal rib on the right side. The victim had 4 years and 2 months of mining experience, with 6 months of experience as a continuous mining machine operator.
Best Practices

  • Install and maintain proximity detection systems. See the proximity detection single source page on the MSHA website.
  • Develop programs, policies, and procedures for starting and tramming remote controlled continuous mining machines.
  • Frequently review, retrain, and discuss avoiding the “RED ZONE” areas when operating or working near a remote controlled continuous mining machine.
  • Train all production crews and management in the programs, policies, and procedures and ensure that they are followed.
  • Ensure that mining machine operators are in a safe location while tramming the continuous mining machine from place to place or repositioning in the entry during cutting and loading.
  • Ensure everyone is outside the machine turning radius before starting or moving the equipment.
  • When moving continuous mining machines where the left and right traction drives are operated independently, low tram speed should be used.
  • Assign another miner to assist the continuous mining machine operator when it is being moved or repositioned.
  • Train all persons in the programs, policies, and procedures for operating or working near remote controlled continuous mining machines. Additional information on preventing these types of accidents can be found at: MSHA’s Safety Targets Program Hit By Underground Equipment.

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