Powered Haulage

Fatality #7 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2018

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On July 31, 2018, a 62-year old foreman with 40 years of experience, was fatally injured while dismantling a portable crusher. The front-end loader was placing a 20-foot long steel tube onto the screen feed conveyor. The front-end loader operator lowered the bucket and crushed the victim against the conveyor structure.

Best Practices

  • Front-end loader operators must ensure personnel are not near the machine when in operation.
  • Use cranes with appropriate rigging and tag lines to position components.
  • When working near equipment, make eye contact with the equipment operator and directly communicate your intended movements.
  • Wear a reflective vest or clothing while working.
  • Ensure all persons are trained to recognize workplace hazards – specifically, the limited visibility and blind areas inherent to operation of large equipment.
  • Prior to starting the task, train miners on proper maintenance procedures and discuss steps that will be taken to safely perform the job.

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

Fatality #6 for Coal 2018

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On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, a mobile bridge conveyor (MBC) operator, with 8 weeks of mining experience, was fatally injured during the mining process.  The continuous mining machine (CMM) and attached MBCs had been backed out of a completed cut.  While the CMM was being repositioned, it moved the attached MBCs and crushed the victim between his MBC and the coal rib.
Best Practices: 

  • Frequently communicate with other MBC operators before starting or tramming any component of the system.  Always be in a location where other MBC operators can readily see or communicate with you.
  • Install latching emergency stop switches so MBC operators can actuate them to prevent machine movement when they leave the operator’s cab or position.  See PIB No. P11-16 for information on man-in position switches. https://arlweb.msha.gov/regs/complian/PIB/2011/pib11-16.pdf
  • Stay out of MBC Red Zones if the CMM or any of the MBCs are energized.
  • Be familiar with how the de-energizing switches on your machine operate and immediately actuate them the moment a hazard is recognized.
  • Install man-in-position switches on mobile bridge conveyor systems so all MBC operators know everyone is in a safe position before initiating machine movement.

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

Fatality #5 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2018

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On June 13, 2018, a 65-year old truck driver with 4 years of experience was fatally injured when his truck traveled over a berm and into an impoundment of water.  Divers recovered the victim in 20 feet of water.

Best Practices

  • Maintain control and stay alert when operating mobile equipment.
  • Conduct adequate pre-operational checks and correct any defects affecting safety in a timely manner prior to operating mobile equipment. Maintain equipment braking and steering systems in good repair and adjustment.
  • Operate mobile equipment at speeds consistent with the conditions of roadways, tracks, grades, clearance, visibility, curves, and traffic.
  • Ensure that berms are adequate for the vehicles present on site, including but not limited to height, material, and built on firm ground.
  • Consider storing personal flotation devices in equipment that is being operated near water.
  • Ensure that all exits from cabs on mobile equipment, including alternate and emergency exits, are maintained and operable.
  • Use seat belts when operating mobile equipment.

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

Fatality #5 for Coal 2018

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On Monday, June 4, 2018, a 43-year-old miner with 10 years of mining experience, was fatally injured when a roof jack struck him in the head.  At the time of the accident, the miner was a passenger in a personnel carrier that traveled over the roof jack, which was lying in the roadway at the time.  As a result of being hit, the roof jack was propelled into the passenger’s compartment, striking the victim. The victim was flown to a hospital where he died from his injuries.
Best Practices: 

  • Conduct thorough examinations of roadways and remove material that may pose a hazard to equipment operators, passengers, or other miners.
  • Maintain roadways free of excessive water, mud, and other conditions which have an impact on an equipment operator’s ability to control mobile equipment.
  • Establish safe operating procedures for mobile equipment and a maintenance schedule for roadways.
  • Secure loads being hauled to prevent them from falling off haulage vehicles.
  • Ensure each item being hauled reaches the intended destination.
  • If items are lost during transport, immediately search for them and warn other mobile equipment operators.

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

Fatality #3 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2018

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On April 12, 2018, a 60-year old customer truck driver was killed when he fell from, and was run over by, his truck while scanning into the operator’s check-in system.  The victim was found underneath the belly dump of the semi-trailer, and the truck was still in gear.

Best Practices

  • Implement check-in system technology that can be scanned remotely from inside the vehicle such as a RFID tag or indicator.
  • Commercial and customer truck drivers should remain in their trucks while on mine property, unless a safe area for tarping and checking their loads has been designated.
  • Operators should place their equipment in neutral and set the parking brakes before exiting the operator compartment.
  • Rules establishing safe operating procedures should be posted.
  • Ensure workers who operate heavy equipment are adequately informed, instructed, trained and supervised.

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

Fatality #4 for Coal 2018

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On Wednesday, March 28, 2018, a 29-year-old belt foreman with .eight years of total mining experience was fatally injured while he and a co-worker were in the process of splicing an underground conveyor belt when the conveyor belt inadvertently started.  The victim became entangled with the belt splicing tools as the conveyor belt moved.
Best Practices: 

  • Before splicing conveyor belts, perform the following steps:
    • Open the circuit breaker that supplies electrical power to the conveyor belt drive.
    • Open the visual disconnect for the cable that supplies electrical power to the conveyor belt drive.
    • Lock-out and tag-out the visual disconnect yourself and NEVER rely on someone to do this for you.
    • Release the tension in the conveyor belt take-up/storage unit.
    • Block the conveyor belt against motion.
  • Keep the key to the lock at all times while repairs and/or maintenance are performed.
  • Ensure that you are the only person who removes the lock after repairs and/or maintenance are completed.
  • Ensure that no miner is in harm’s way before starting the conveyor belt(s).
  • Provide a visible and/or audible system, with a start-up delay, to warn persons that the conveyor belt will begin moving.
  • Establish policies and procedures for performing specific tasks on conveyor belts and ensure all miners are trained.

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

Fatality #3 for Coal 2018

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On Friday, March 16, 2018, a 34-year-old mechanic with 16 years of total mining experience was fatally injured while operating a diesel personnel carrier on the mine haulage road.  The vehicle hit the right rib and rolled onto its left side.  The victim was partially ejected from the mantrip and the canopy of the mantrip came to rest on his chest.

Best Practices: 
  • Operate all mobile equipment at speeds that are consistent with the type of equipment, roadway conditions, grades, clearances, visibility, and other traffic.
  • Consider installing mechanical devices that limit the top speeds of fast-moving equipment.
  • Travel at safe speeds so that mobile equipment can be stopped within the limits of visibility.
  • Maintain haulage roadways free from bottom irregularities, debris, and wet or muddy conditions that affect the control of the equipment.
  • Maintain steering and braking components so that mobile equipment can be controlled at all times.
  • Properly maintain brakes, lights, and warning devices on mobile equipment.  Perform functional tests of the brakes and other safety devices during the pre-operational examination.
  • Install safety devices, including seat belts, and ensure they are properly used and/or worn.
  • Conduct task training for each type of personnel carrier or equipment being operated.

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

Fatality #1 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2018

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On January 25, 2018, a 38-year old equipment operator with 4 years of mining experience was killed when his articulated haul truck travelled through a berm and into an ice covered pond, submerging the truck’s cab.  Rescuers utilized divers and tow trucks to pull the submerged truck from the pond and recover the victim.

Best Practices

  • Do not operate heavy equipment when fatigued. The effects of fatigue include tiredness, reduced energy, and physical or mental exhaustion. These conditions become progressively worse as fatigue increases.
  • Maintain control and stay alert when operating mobile equipment. Monitor persons routinely to determine safe work procedures are followed.
  • Conduct adequate pre-operational checks and correct any defects affecting safety in a timely manner prior to operating mobile equipment.  Maintain equipment braking and steering systems in good repair and adjustment.
  • Operate mobile equipment at speeds consistent with the conditions of roadways, tracks, grades, clearance, visibility, curves, and traffic.
  • Ensure that berms are adequate for the vehicles present on site, including but not limited to height, material, and built on firm ground.
  • Ensure that all exits from cabs on mobile equipment, including alternate and emergency exits, are maintained and operable.
  • Use seat belts when operating mobile equipment.

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

Fatality #13 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2017

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On December 30, 2017, an employee in a pickup truck approached the quarry loadout area to get the Front End Loader (FEL) operator for lunch. The FEL backed into the pickup, pushing it sideways and crushing the driver’s side of the pickup cab, trapping the victim inside the truck. The pickup truck caught fire and efforts by the FEL operator and a nearby contractor to put the fire out using fire extinguishers were not successful.

Best Practices

  • When approaching large mobile equipment, do not proceed until you communicate and verify with the equipment operator your planned movement and location.  Provide radio communication systems between vehicles and large mobile equipment.
  • Ensure all persons are trained to recognize workplace hazards – specifically, the limited visibility and blind areas inherent to operation of large equipment and the hazard of mobile equipment traveling near them.
  • Ensure, by signal or other means, that all persons are clear before moving equipment.
  • Minimize situations where smaller vehicles need to approach large front end loaders.
  • Do not drive or park smaller vehicles in mobile equipment’s potential path of movement.
  • Equip smaller vehicles with flags or strobe lights positioned high enough to be seen from the cabs of haulage trucks.
  • Install and maintain proximity detection or collision avoidance/warning systems and cameras.

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

Fatality #11 & #12 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining

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On October 31, 2017, a 340-ton haul truck ran over a passenger van carrying nine miners. The driver of the van and the miner in the front seat were fatally injured. Of the remaining seven miners, one suffered a non-life threatening injury.

Best Practices

  • When approaching large mobile equipment, do not proceed until you communicate and verify with the equipment operator your planned movement and location.  Provide radio communication systems between vehicles and large mobile equipment.
  • Ensure, by signal or other means, that all persons are clear before moving equipment.
  • Minimize situations where smaller vehicles need to approach large haul trucks (e.g., arrange for haul truck drivers to have supplies available at the pre-shift meeting place, rather than delivering supplies to the truck).
  • Do not drive or park smaller vehicles in a large truck’s potential path of movement.
  • Equip smaller vehicles with flags or strobe lights positioned high enough to be seen from the cabs of haulage trucks.
  • Install and maintain proximity detection or collision avoidance/warning systems and cameras.

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