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).
On Monday, October 23, 2017, a 48-year-old mine examiner with 19 years of mining experience, received fatal injuries after he fell on the No. 1 conveyor belt near the transfer point with the No. 2 conveyor belt and was transported by the belt conveyor system to the raw coal pile. It appears he was attempting to cross the No. 1 conveyor belt at the time of the accident.
On September 5, 2017, a 20-year old plant operator with 23 weeks of experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel mine. The victim was performing maintenance on a belt conveyor when he became entangled in the tail pulley.
On July 27, 2017, a miner was fatally injured when his light-duty truck was run over by a haul truck. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Friday, August 25, 2017, a 51-year-old mine examiner with 27 years of mining experience was killed when, near the transfer point with the No. 2 conveyor belt, he apparently lost his footing attempting to cross over the moving No. 1 conveyor belt. He fell onto the No. 1 belt and hit a belt crossover located approximately 10 feet outby. The victim was found beside the conveyor belt just outside the mine entrance.
On June 8, 2017, a truck driver was operating a Caterpillar 777F haul truck, dumping a load of gravel, when the ground at the dump point collapsed. The truck went over the edge of the dump point, overturning and landing on its roof approximately 30 feet below. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he later died of his injuries.
On March 24, 2017, the victim exited his personal flatbed truck, which was left running in 6th gear, to turn off the genset (diesel generator). Prior to ascending the steps to the diesel generator, it appears the flatbed truck moved forward and pinned him against the genset trailer. The victim was found on Monday, March 27, 2017, and pronounced dead at the scene.
On June 19, 2017, a 32-year-old preshift examiner was fatally injured when he was thrown or jumped from a moving locomotive. Two locomotives (front and rear) were being used to transport three supply cars into the mine. The examiner was riding in the passenger seat of the front locomotive when the operators lost control on a grade and the front locomotive and the first two supply cars derailed.