2002 MetalNonMetal Fatalities

1
2002 Metal/Non-Metal Fatalities
2

• January 9, 2002, a 21 year-old laborer with 14
  months mining experience was fatally injured at a
  surface dimension stone mine. The victim was
  descending a grade in a front-end loader and
  exited the machine after losing control. The
  loader continued down the grade and ran over the
  victim.

• Self propelled mobile equipment should be
  provided with service brakes that are capable of
  stopping and holding the equipment on the
  steepest grade that it travels.
• Seat belts should be provided and worn when
  operating mobile equipment
• Preventive maintenance programs should be
  implemented to identify and repair defects that
  affect safety on mobile equipment.

3

• January 12, 2002, a 63-year-old equipment
  operator with 30 years mining experience was
  fatally injured at a surface pebble stone mine.
  The victim was standing by a pick-up truck when
  he was struck from behind by a run-a-way
  front-end loader. The loader operator lost
  control of the equipment after the engine stalled
  while descending a grade.

4

• Self propelled mobile equipment should be
  provided with service brakes that are capable of
  stopping and holding the equipment on the
  steepest grade that it travels.
• Preventive maintenance programs should be
  implemented to identify and repair defects that
  affect safety on mobile equipment.
• Part 46 training should be made available to all
  employees.
• Preshift examinations should be conducted prior
  to operation.
• Backup alarms should be audible above the
  surrounding noise level.

5

• January 21, 2002, a 23 year-old utility person
  with 5 years mining experience was fatally
  injured at a surface cement operation. The victim
  was fatally injured when he climbed into a silo
  to unplug a blockage and was engulfed by
  material.

• A safety harness attached to a lifeline should
  always be used when persons enter silos, hoppers
  or surge piles. A second person should constantly
  adjust the lifeline to eliminate slack.
• Safe access should be provided and maintained to
  all working places.
• Silos should be equipped with mechanical devices
  or other effective means of handling material so
  persons are not required to work where they are
  exposed to entrapment by sliding material. 

6

• January 21, 2002, a 51 year-old loader operator
  with 6 weeks mining experience was fatally
  injured at a sand and gravel operation. The
  victim and a coworker were in the process of
  draining the water from the log washer at the end
  of the shift. The victim climbed inside the
  machine to remove debris and was crushed by the
  paddles when a third employee inadvertently
  started the machine from the plant control consol

7

• Power disconnect switches should be locked out
  and posted with signed tags by the individuals
  performing work prior to work commencing.
• Wherever possible, startup switches should have a
  time delay along with simultaneous audible and
  visual warnings to alert persons of impending
  hazardous motion.
• Companies should develop and implement procedures
  that address possible hazards for all maintenance
  tasks.

8

• February 1, 2002, a 38 year-old ledge foreman
  with 10 years mining experience, died of injuries
  he received on January 14, 2002, when he fell 28
  feet at a dimension stone quarry. The victim was
  positioned between a grout bucket and a ladder
  near the edge of the ledge. When a large rock was
  loaded into the bucket, it tipped and knocked the
  victim off the ledge.

• A safety harness and a life line should be worn
  when persons work where there is a risk of injury
  from a fall.
• Safe access should be provided and maintained to
  and from all work areas.
• Railings or cables should be installed when
  persons are required to work or travel near the
  edge of a ledge.
• Safe work procedures should be established prior
  to commencing tasks.

9

• February 13, 2002, a 53-year-old electrician
  with five years mining experience was fatally
  injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim
  and several coworkers were changing a generator
  on a power shovel. In preparation for lifting the
  generator, a hoist that was mounted overhead on
  an I-beam was being trammed into position when it
  ran off the end of the I-beam, fell and struck
  the victim who was performing work below.

10

• Mechanical stops should be installed to prevent
  over travel of rail mounted hoists.
• Procedures that evaluate possible hazards and
  assure prompt corrective action should be
  implemented prior to work beginning.
• Mechanical equipment should be inspected prior to
  use and all defects should be promptly corrected.

11

• April 4, 2002, a 54 year-old mechanic with 32
  years mining experience was fatally injured at
  the surface lime plant of an underground
  limestone mine. The victim was positioned on the
  ground to guard access to the drop area while
  several co-workers threw filled dust collector
  bags from the elevated bag house. The victim was
  struck by one of the bags that weighed about 90
  pounds.

12

• Formal procedures that address possible hazards
  should be implemented prior to beginning major
  maintenance tasks.
• A restricted drop area must be established prior
  to dropping materials from elevated locations.
• All persons should be removed from drop areas and
  barricades or barriers should be installed to
  prohibit access to protect personnel from falling
  material.

13

• March 30, 2002, a 67 year-old process operator
  (leadman) with 29 years mining experience was
  seriously injured at a cement operation. The
  victim was helping clear a blockage inside a
  cement clinker drag conveyor located in a tunnel.
  When the access door for the enclosed conveyor
  was opened, hot clinker spilled into standing
  water generating a steam outburst that burned the
  victim. The victim died from his injuries on
  April 5, 2002.

14

• A protocol that address potential hazards should
  be developed prior to beginning major maintenance
  tasks.
• Special protective clothing and equipment should
  be provided and worn to protect persons from
  environmental hazards or irritants.
• Water should not be permitted to accumulate where
  it could come in contact with hot materials.

15

• April 22, 2002, a 22 year-old drill operator with
  one year mining experience was fatally injured at
  a dimension stone quarry. The victim was drilling
  in the quarry when his clothing became entangled
  in the rotating drill steel.

• Equipment operators should stop drill rotation
  when performing tasks near the rotating steel.
• Loose fitting clothing should not be worn when
  working around drilling machinery.

16

• April 24, 2002, a 22-year-old mechanic with five
  months mining experience was fatally injured at a
  crushed stone operation. The victim was
  conducting a performance test on the parking
  brake. He drove the loader up a 16 percent ramp
  when it stopped, rolled backwards and struck the
  edge of a waste pile. The loader rolled on its
  side and the victim, who was not wearing a seat
  belt, was thrown out of the cab.

17

• Brake tests should be performed first in a non
  -hazardous environment to ensure all systems are
  fully functional before testing the brakes on the
  steepest typical operating grade.
• Brake holding tests should only be conducted near
  the base of the grade and only where a safe
  escape route is provided.
• Equipment operators should wear seatbelts
  whenever the vehicle is in motion.
• Self-propelled mobile equipment should be
  provided with service brakes capable of stopping
  and holding the equipment on the steepest grade
  it travels.

18

• May 3, 2002, a 62-year-old contract dozer
  operator with 20 years of experience, drowned at
  a surface limestone operation. The victim was
  operating a dozer to level a pad for a dragline,
  when he over traveled the edge of the pad and
  sank. Several hours later, a dragline moved into
  position and began extracting material from the
  pit. The dragline brought up several pieces of
  the dozer. A search for the victim started
  immediately, but he was not found until May 6,
  2002.

• Determine the relationship of the water's edge to
  the work area prior to operating mobile
  equipment.
• Provide flotation devices in the operator's cab
  on mobile equipment working near water.

19

• June 1, 2002, a 32 year-old conveyor attendant
  with 5 years mining experience was fatally
  injured at an open pit copper operation. The
  victim became entangled in a tripper conveyor
  pulley.

• Always lock out or block moving machinery against
  motion before working nearby unless all pulleys
  and pinch points are guarded or located where
  persons can not contact them.
• Ensure that accessible pinch points on conveyor
  pulleys are guarded from contact.
• Establish and enforce policies that prohibit work
  or travel near unguarded machinery components.

20

• June 3, 2002, a 41 year-old maintenance mechanic
  with 11 years mining experience was fatally
  injured at a cement operation. The victim and
  co-workers had cleared a plugged chute and then
  jogged the kiln feed bucket elevator to make sure
  it was free. The elevator drive assembly failed
  and the victim was struck by metal fragments.

• Locate operating controls for pumps, motors and
  rotating components away from potential
  trajectory paths.
• Test all safety systems, including reverse
  movement protection features, on a regular basis.
  
• Establish a schedule for rebuilding or
  replacement of equipment.

21
June 12, 2002, a 35-year-old maintenance worker
with 7 years mining experience was fatally
injured at an alumina operation. The victim was
drilling out scale that had accumulated inside
heater tank pipes. The drill motor, detached from
the gear box, fell from the drill mast and struck
the victim.
22

• Establish procedures that require scheduled
  inspections and maintenance of equipment.
• Ensure adequate pre-operational checks are
  conducted and identified needs for maintenance
  are properly addressed.
• Ensure component fasteners meet or exceed
  manufacturer's specifications and are adequately
  tightened.
• Provide backup secure methods for components
  subjected to constant vibration.

23
July 2, 2002, a 51-year-old laborer with 21 weeks
mining experience was fatally injured at a
surface crushed stone mine. He was removing a
support structure on a portable conveyor. The
conveyor was positioned on a hydraulic jack
supported by two wooden blocks when it shifted
and fell crushing the victim.

• Train all personnel in hazard recognition and
  safe work procedures.
• Ensure that blocking material is competent,
  substantial, and adequate to support and
  stabilize the load.
• Ensure that equipment is properly blocked to
  prevent accidental movement.
• Never block with steel on steel or depend on
  hydraulics to support a load.

24
August 5, 2002, a 56-year-old maintenance worker
with 27 years of experience was fatally injured
at a lime plant. The victim was found lying
inside one of the rooms of a dust collector bag
house. Apparently, after the victim entered the
room, the door inadvertently closed and he could
not get out. Conditions inside the room were hot
and dusty.
25

• Establish safe work procedures and ensure that
  they are being followed by personnel assigned to
  do maintenance work.
• Ensure that safe entry procedures are being
  followed and examine exit routes at all bag
  houses.
• Provide latches on both sides of all doors.
• Maintain communications with personnel working in
  remote locations.
• Always use personal protective equipment
  appropriate for the assigned task.

26
August 6, 2002, a 47-year-old contract switchman
with 25 years of experience, was fatally injured
at a trona mine. The accident occurred at night.
The victim, switching cars at a surface load out
area, was caught between a 15-car train he was
riding and a stationary car as the train moved.

• Provide illumination sufficient to recognize
  hazards in all work areas.
• Identify possible hazards and safe work
  procedures before moving rail cars.
• Provide communications between personnel assigned
  to move rail cars.
• Maintain continuous clearance of at least 30
  inches from the farthest projection of moving
  railroad equipment on at least one side of the
  tracks.

27
August 17, 2002, a 31-year-old contract miner
with 4 years of experience was fatally injured in
a tunnel construction project at an open pit
copper mine. A transformer switch, mounted on a
rail car, was being moved forward as construction
advanced. The victim was electrocuted when he
contacted a 480 volt cable and a junction box to
move them from rubbing the rail car. The cable
and junction box were part of the lighting system
located along the side of the tunnel.
28

• Protect circuits against excessive overloads by
  fuses or breakers of the correct type and
  capacity.
• Ensure that all metal enclosing or encasing
  electrical circuits is grounded or provided with
  equivalent protection.
• Provide equipment grounding conductors, with a
  sufficiently low impedance to limit the voltage
  to ground, for metal enclosures.

29
August 20, 2002, a 20-year-old truck driver, with
one year of experience, was fatally injured at a
crushed stone mine. The victim backed his dump
truck under a bin to receive material being
washed from the bin. He exited the truck and
stood on a concrete support foundation. While the
victim was talking with the lead man situated
above the bins, another haul truck backed under
an adjacent bin and struck him causing fatal
injuries.
30

• Establish procedures that require all personnel
  to be positioned so they are not exposed to
  self-propelled moving equipment.
• Ensure that equipment operators proceed
  cautiously when entering areas with tight
  clearance or areas where personnel are present.
• Establish procedures that require communications
  to be maintained between equipment operators and
  their co-workers.

31
September 10, 2002, a 58 year-old contract drill
operator with 15 years drilling experience was
fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The
victim had positioned the truck-mounted chassis
drill, set the jacks and raised the truck chassis
off the ground. He was raising the drill mast
into position when a previously damaged jack foot
connection may have allowed the "ball end" to
suddenly drop into the receiving socket. This
caused the drill to become unstable, tip over and
crush the operator inside the operator's cab.
32

• Ensure pre-operational checks are conducted and
  identified needs for maintenance are properly
  addressed.
• Establish procedures that ensure jack components
  are locking in position properly and the unit is
  level before positioning mast.
• Use adequate cribbing to prevent the jacks from
  sinking into the ground.
• Know the limitations of your drill and follow the
  procedures in the operators manual.

33
September 10, 2002, a 57 year-old equipment
operator with 25 years mining experience was
fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The
victim was approaching the stone load out when
apparently the rear brake line ruptured. The
truck left the road, traveled several hundred
feet and struck a tree. The victim, who was not
wearing the seat belt provided, was found on the
ground near the truck.
34

• Ensure pre-operational checks are conducted and
  identified needs for maintenance are properly
  addressed.
• Establish procedures that require scheduled
  inspection and maintenance of mobile equipment.
• Ensure that service brakes will stop and hold
  equipment prior to operating mobile equipment.
• Enforce policies that require seat belts be worn
  by mobile equipment operators.

35
September 16, 2002, a 42 year-old welder with 2
years mining experience was fatally injured at a
crushed stone operation. The victim was lying on
a wet, metal screen deck welding a wear plate in
a confined area when he apparently touched the
energized welding rod to his chest and received
an electrical shock.
36

• Establish procedures that require welders to
  cover metal with approved insulated mats or dry
  wood when lying to weld in confined areas.
• Ensure that maintenance activities are planned
  and possible hazards are eliminated.
• Provide the proper supplies and equipment to
  complete all tasks.

37
September 23, 2002, a 30 year-old contract
employee with 18 months experience was fatally
injured at a cement plant. The victim apparently
climbed out of the elevated man lift platform to
gain access to a work location on the metal roof
when he lost his footing and fell 46 feet to the
ground.
38

• Train all employees, including contractors, in
  hazard recognition and ensure they follow all
  safety requirements.
• Establish secure anchor locations and require
  harnesses attached to secure lines be utilized by
  persons at elevated locations.
• Maintain continuous fall protection when working
  at elevated locations.

39
September 23, 2002, a 43 year-old plant operator
with 17 months experience was fatally injured at
a crushed stone operation. The victim was
removing fines that had packed around a winged
tail pulley of a belt that had been buried by
spillage. As the spillage was removed, the bound
conveyor belt moved backward a short distance and
caught the victim's arm between the belt and the
tail pulley.
40

• Ensure manufacturer's recommendations are
  reviewed and miners are trained regarding
  maintenance tasks prior to beginning work.
• Identify and discuss possible hazards and address
  steps to eliminate them.
• Ensure the proper tools are provided and used to
  complete all required tasks.
• Block all equipment or machinery components to
  prevent possible movement.

41
October 12, 2002, a 52-year-old co-owner of a
sand and gravel operation was fatally injured.
The victim accompanied her husband to the mine to
assist in setting up a new weighing facility
while he used a front-end loader to fill in dirt
around the newly installed truck scales.
Apparently the victim inadvertently walked into
the path of the loader as it was backing.
42

• Establish procedures that prohibit entering the
  work area of mobile equipment unless the operator
  is aware of your presence.
• Ensure that you make eye contact with mobile
  equipment operators before approaching their work
  areas.

43
October 14, 2002, a 25-year-old front-end loader
operator, with 3 months mining experience was
fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation.
The victim parked his loader near the toe of a 33
foot highwall and left the operator's cab when
material sloughed off the highwall and buried
him.
44

• Train all employees in hazard recognition and
  ensure they follow all safety requirements.
• Ensure that loose ground and overhanging material
  is taken down or block all access to those areas.
  
• Adopt mining methods that will maintain wall,
  bank or slope stability in all work areas.

45
October 17, 2002, a 45-year-old front-end loader
operator, with 11 years mining experience was
fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation.
The victim and a coworker were positioned on a
conveyor attaching lifting chains suspended from
the bucket of a track mounted back hoe. The
victim was caught between the back hoe bucket and
the conveyor frame when the boom and bucket moved
unexpectedly.
46

• Identify possible hazards and take necessary
  action to ensure safe operation prior to
  beginning repair or maintenance tasks.
• Block all equipment or machinery components to
  prevent possible movement.
• Establish procedures that require mobile man
  lifts be used where safe access is not provided.

47
October 21, 2002, a 48-year-old equipment
operator with 11 years mining experience was
fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation.
The victim was operating a front-end loader
feeding a power screen plant when he backed one
of the wheels over a drop-off. The loader, which
was not provided with a ROPS cab, rolled over,
crushing the victim.
48

• Establish procedures that restrict the use of
  front-end loaders manufactured prior to June 30,
  1969 to flat ground.
• Ensure that berms are provided on elevated edges
  of roadways where a drop-off exists.
• Ensure adequate pre-operational checks are
  conducted on all self- propelled mobile equipment
  and defects are promptly corrected.

49
October 24, 2002, a 27-year-old fuel handler with
2 years 7 months mining experience was fatally
injured at a cement operation. The victim was
attempting to bleed air from the liquid
waste-fuel system when the in-line grinder
ruptured. The escaping waste fuel ignited,
engulfing the victim in flames.
50

• Ensure process safety management principles are
  used to identify possible hazards related to
  waste fuel handling.
• Establish safe work procedures and train
  employees for each task, including a general
  knowledge of the system and its hazards.
• Ensure all safety system monitoring and shutdowns
  are installed correctly, are operational and are
  tested periodically.
• Ensure appropriate personal protective equipment,
  including fire retardant clothing is worn by all
  persons entering or working in areas where
  hazardous/flammable material spills or releases
  are possible.
• Locate pump start/stop switches remotely and
  require pumps be shut down prior to bleeding off
  pressurized waste fuel systems.
• Ensure in-line pressure relief devices are
  installed on all pressurized waste fuel systems.
• Install flow sensing devices which automatically
  shut down the pump if flow stops for any critical
  period of time.

51
October 17, 2002, a 49-year-old mine rescue team
trainer with 26 years mining experience and a
38-year-old co-trainer with 2 years mining
experience were fatally injured, at an abandoned
underground gold mine. Both were participating
under oxygen in an exercise to evaluate
conditions in this mine. As the team was walking
up the steep decline to return to the surface,
the victims experienced breathing difficulties
and collapsed. The first victim was pronounced
dead at the scene. The second victim was
transported to a medical facility where he
succumbed to his injuries on October 23, 2002.
52

• Ensure all self contained breathing apparatus are
  properly checked and equipped as to manufacturers
  recommendations prior to their use.
• During non emergency exercises, ensure that
  underground mine areas that rescue teams plan to
  enter are ventilated and free of serious hazards.
  
• Maintain continuous communications with the
  surface whenever mine rescue personnel encounter
  toxic gases, explosive gases or any conditions
  that pose serious danger.

53
November 13, 2002, a 30-year-old dozer operator
with 11 years mining experience was fatally
injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim
was pushing up previously shot rock near the base
of a 21-foot highwall. A large portion of the
highwall failed, collapsing the ROPS on the dozer
and fatally injuring the victim.
54

• Train employees in hazard recognition and ensure
  they follow all safety requirements.
• Inspect highwalls thoroughly prior to work being
  performed.
• Ensure loose ground and overhanging material is
  taken down or block all access to those areas.
• Adopt mining methods that ensure mobile equipment
  is operated perpendicular to the face of a
  highwall.

55
December 9, 2002, a 47-year-old truck driver with
1 year10 months mining experience was fatally
injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim
was in the process of removing a 12 foot long
section of a walkway attached to a portable
inclined conveyor. As he was cutting a metal
attachment using an acetylene torch, the section
of walkway collapsed on him.
56

• Analyze maintenance tasks and identify possible
  hazards prior to the commencement of work.
• Establish job procedures to eliminate hazards and
  ensure personnel are trained to utilize the
  proper equipment and tools.
• Secure all equipment or machinery components to
  prevent movement.
• Ensure personnel are adequately trained and
  assisted as necessary when performing maintenance
  work.