On Thursday, March 7, 2019, a 38-year-old miner with 10 years of mining experience received fatal injuries while he was working on the pad of a highwall mining machine (HWM).  The miner was contacted in a pinch point between a post and a section of the HWM (i.e. push beam) that was being removed as part of the normal mining cycle.

Best Practices: 

• Establish and discuss safe work procedures for removing push beams.  Identify and control all hazards and develop methods to protect miners.
• Determine the proper working position to avoid pinch points.  Monitor personnel to ensure safe work procedures are followed.
• Always follow the equipment manufacturer’s recommended maintenance procedures and discuss these procedures during training.
• Train miners to recognize potential hazardous conditions and understand safe job procedures before beginning work. 

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

On Thursday, November 29, 2018, a mechanic with 29 years of mining experience was severely injured when hydraulic pressure propelled a piece of metal out of a hydraulic fitting that he was examining, and the metal penetrated his head.  The miner died on December 30, 2018, as a result of his injuries.
Best Practices: 

• Train miners to recognize hazards in pressurized systems before troubleshooting or performing work on such systems.
• Consult and follow the manufacturer’s recommended safe work procedures.
• Position yourself in a safe location, away from any potential sources of failure, while troubleshooting or testing pressurized systems.  When possible, examine and inspect hydraulic components while they are de-pressurized.
• Remove pressure from the hydraulic system before beginning modifications or repairs.
• Make modifications or repairs with proper components and parts that are adequately rated and specifically designed for such purposes.

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

On December 29, 2018, a 25-year old dredge operator, with 21 weeks of experience, was fatally injured at a coal mine. The victim drowned when the dredge he was operating sank.
Best Practices: 

• Task train all persons to recognize all potential hazardous conditions and ensure they understand safe job procedures for elimination of the hazards before beginning work.
• Examine work areas and equipment during the shift for hazards that may be created as a result of the work being performed.
• Conduct a risk analysis before starting non-routine tasks to ensure that all hazards are evaluated and eliminated.
• Establish procedures requiring persons to alert coworkers when they are in danger.

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

On Wednesday, October 17, 2018, a 33-year-old auger helper with 3 days of total surface mining experience received fatal injuries during auger mining activities. The victim was attempting to move a section of auger steel by using the onboard crane when he was struck in the chest.
Best Practices: 

• Maintain equipment in safe operating condition. Excessive pressure in a hydraulic circuit can drastically alter the control of booms, etc., creating serious hazards.
• Establish policies and procedures for auger mining including, safe work procedures for removing auger steel from the auger tray.
• Task train miners to recognize all potential hazards and understand safe job procedures before beginning work.
• Monitor personnel routinely to ensure safe work procedures are being followed. Unauthorized persons should be kept clear of the work area.
• Do not place yourself in a position that exposes you to hazards. Stand clear of suspended loads having the potential of becoming off-balanced while being moved.

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

On Friday, December 29, 2017, at approximately 12:57 a.m., a 34-year-old bulldozer operator with 10 years of mining experience was fatally injured.  While pushing overburden toward the edge of a highwall, the bulldozer he was operating travelled over the edge, down an embankment, and came to rest approximately 400 feet from where it went over the highwall.

Best Practices

• Ensure the bulldozer blade is kept between you and the edge when operating close to drop offs.  Dump loads short of the highwall edge and push one load into another to maintain a safe distance from the edge.
•  Inspect the area before beginning work and remain familiar with the environment throughout the shift.  Plan the safest way to move material and maneuver equipment.
• Reduce the throttle position when working near the edge of a highwall.
• Properly illuminate work areas and dump sites.
• Perform complete and thorough examinations of ground conditions.
• Always wear a seatbelt when operating mobile equipment.  Monitor work activities routinely to ensure seatbelts are worn and safe work procedures are followed.
• Ensure miners are trained, including task-training, to understand, recognize and avoid hazards associated with the work being performed.
• Conduct pre-operational examinations to identify any safety defects.  Correct safety defects prior to placing equipment into service.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)

On July 25, 2017, a 28-year-old bulldozer operator with 1 year and 9 months of mining experience was fatally injured at a surface facility.  The victim was operating a bulldozer, pushing material off of a refuse bank before the accident occurred.  He was found lying in the bulldozer’s push path at the top of an incline near the edge of the refuse bank.  The bulldozer had run over the victim and continued over the edge of the incline, coming to rest at the bottom of the embankment.

Best Practices

• Ensure that persons are trained, including task-training, to understand the hazards associated with the work being performed.
• Maintain control of mobile equipment while it is in motion.
• Maintain equipment braking systems in good repair and adjustment.  Conduct proper maintenance on safety related systems.
• Before leaving a bulldozer unattended, operators should follow manufacturer recommended operating procedures to ensure that the equipment is secured from movement.  This could include disengaging the transmission, setting the parking brake, and lowering the bulldozer blade to the ground before dismounting the equipment.
• Do not depend on hydraulic systems to hold mobile equipment stationary.
• 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.
• Do not place yourself in a position that will expose you to hazards while performing a task.

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