Metal/Nonmetal

Fatality #6 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2011

renewcomerLeave a comment

On June 4, 2011, a 39 year-old mill operator with 1 year and 14 weeks of experience was killed at a surface gold operation. The victim was sweeping in a crusher building when he fell through an opening approximately 60 feet to the floor below. The cover for the opening was not secured in place.

Best Practices

  • Establish and discuss safe work procedures. Identify and control all hazards. Train all persons to recognize and understand safe job procedures before beginning work.
  • Always use fall protection when working where a fall hazard exists.
  • Protect openings near travelways through which persons may fall by installing railings, barriers, or covers.
  • Keep temporary access opening covers secured in place at all times when the opening is not being used.
  • Ensure that areas are barricaded or have warning signs posted at all approaches if hazards exist that are not immediately obvious.

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

 

Fatality #5 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2011

renewcomerLeave a comment

On April 25, 2011, a 31 year- old drill operator with 6 weeks of experience was killed at an underground crushed stone operation. He was walking in a crosscut when a slab of roof, approximately 5 feet wide by 6 feet long by 10 inches thick, struck him.

Best Practices

  • Train persons to identify work place hazards and take action to correct them.
  • Design, install, and maintain a support system to control the ground in places where persons work or travel.
  • Examine and test ground conditions in areas where work is to be performed prior to work commencing and as ground conditions warrant during the shift.
  • When ground conditions create a hazard to persons, install additional ground support before other work is permitted in the affected area.
  • Be alert to any change of ground conditions.

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

Fatality #4 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2011

renewcomerLeave a comment

On April 15, 2011, a 53 year- old miner with 26 years of experience was killed at an underground silver operation. He was wetting a muck pile in a stope when a fall of back, approximately 90 feet long, struck him.

Best Practices

  • Design, install, and maintain a support system to control the ground in places where persons work or travel.
  • Examine and test ground conditions in areas where work is to be performed prior to work commencing and as ground conditions warrant during the shift.
  • When ground conditions create a hazard to persons, install additional ground support before other work is permitted in the affected area.
  • Analyze extraction ratios and backfill methods and characteristics to improve stability.
  • Be alert to any change of ground conditions.

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

Fatality #3 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2011

renewcomerLeave a comment

On February 24, 2011, a 56 year- old equipment operator with 10 years of experience was killed at a sand and gravel operation. He was cleaning a tramp metal magnet on a belt conveyor when it started.

Best Practices

  • Establish policies and procedures for conducting specific tasks on belt conveyors.
  • Ensure that persons are task trained and understand the hazards associated with the work being performed.
  • Deenergize and block belt conveyors against motion before working near a drive, head, tail, take-up pulleys, and magnets.
  • Lock-out/tag-out all power sources before working on belt conveyors.
  • Maintain communications with all persons performing the task. Before starting belt conveyors, ensure that all persons are clear.
  • Provide and maintain a safe means of access to all working places.
  • Sound an audible alarm if the entire length of the belt conveyor is not visible from the starting switch.

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

Fatality #2 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2011

renewcomerLeave a comment

On March 2, 2011, a 51 year- old contract superintendent with 24 years of experience was killed at a phosphate rock operation. The victim was attempting to join two ends of 24-inch diameter pipe. Two excavators were being used to position the pipe in the saddle of a pipe fuser when the pipe slipped out and struck him.

Best Practices

  • Establish safe work procedures and identify and remove hazards before beginning a task. Follow the equipment manufacturer’s procedures for the work being performed to ensure that all hazards have been addressed.
  • Train persons to recognize the hazards associated with performing a task.
  • Repair broken or damaged equipment immediately.
  • Block material against motion to assure energy cannot be released while the task is performed.
  • Do not place yourself in a position that will expose you to hazards while performing a task.
  • Monitor personnel routinely to determine that safe work procedures are followed.

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

Fatality #1 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2011

renewcomerLeave a comment

On February 12, 2011, a 41 year- old grader operator with 15 years of experience was killed at a phosphate rock operation. The victim and a coworker were standing and talking when he was struck by a grader that was backing up. The accident occurred in a staging area where equipment operators were inspecting their equipment before the shift.

Best Practices

  • Train all persons to recognize work place hazards and to stay clear of normal paths of travel for mobile equipment.
  • Regularly monitor work practices and reinforce their importance. Take immediate action to correct unsafe conditions or work practices.
  • Designate a specific area, clear of mobile equipment, where persons can meet before the shift starts.
  • Install cameras and collision avoidance systems on mobile equipment to protect persons.
  • Ensure that illumination is adequate at the work site.
  • Before moving mobile equipment, look in the direction of travel, use all mirrors, cameras, backup alarms, and installed proximity detection devices to ensure no one is in the intended path.
  • Sound the horn to warn persons of movement and allow time to move to a safe location.
  • Communicate with mobile equipment operators and ensure they acknowledge your presence.
  • Wear high visibility clothing when working around mobile equipment.
  • Consider use of wearable strobes when near mobile equipment.

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

MSHA Fatality Summaries for 2010

renewcomerLeave a comment
MSHA has posted Fatality Summaries for both the Coal and Metal/Nonmetal Industries. Each summarizes the various task and equipment groupings. The coal report includes information on each of the 19 fatalities that occurred in addition to the 29 killed in the Upper Big Branch explosion. It also include a look at the most common causes of all coal fatalities from 2001 to 2010 and provides suggested best practices. Also included are two Mine Safety Alerts for Powered Haulage and Roof Falls.
The Metal/Nonmetal report includes the same type of information for that industry with a number of colorful posters highlighting Machinery, LOTO, and Contractor Safety.

Fatality #24 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2010

renewcomerLeave a comment

On December 29, 2010, a 41 year- old laborer with 4 years of experience died at a dimension stone operation. The victim was replacing a hydraulic lift arm cylinder on a skid steer loader. The lift arms suddenly lowered, pinning him against the frame of the machine.

Best Practices

  • Establish safe work procedures and identify and remove hazards before beginning repair or maintenance tasks. Follow the equipment manufacturer’s procedures for the work being performed to ensure that all hazards have been addressed.
  • Train persons to recognize the hazards associated with performing repair or maintenance tasks.
  • Prior to performing repair or maintenance tasks, turn the power off and block any raised component against accidentally lowering.
  • Assign a sufficient number of persons to repair or maintenance tasks to ensure the tasks can be safely performed.
  • Do not place yourself in a position that will expose you to hazards while performing repair or maintenance tasks.
  • Monitor personnel routinely to determine that safe work procedures are followed.

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

Fatality #23 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2010

renewcomerLeave a comment

On December 23, 2010, a 35 year- old contract blaster with 12 years of experience died at a crushed stone operation. After firing the blast, he immediately walked into the blast site to examine the shot material. The victim was approaching the edge of the shot material when the ground collapsed, engulfing him in the water-filled pit.

Best Practices

  • Conduct effective workplace examinations in areas where contractors are working. Identify all hazards, and take action to correct them.
  • Establish mining plans based on geological evaluations and implement procedures to effectively protect all persons.
  • Establish methods to identify subsurface cavities and voids such as advance drilling and geophysical surveys (ground penetrating radar – GPR), electrical resistivity, or other available methods.
  • Wait at least 15 minutes or longer before conducting post-blast inspections. Take additional time if geological anomalies or other hazards are identified during drilling or blasting.
  • Keep a safe distance from cracks or any other signs of unstable ground conditions.
  • Tie off using a secure anchorage zone.
  • Wear a life jacket where there is a danger from falling into water.

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

Fatality #22 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2010

renewcomerLeave a comment

2010 MNM Fatality 22On December 17, 2010, a 35 year- old truck driver with 11 weeks of experience died at a crushed stone operation. The victim was standing on a belt conveyor, working inside a chute, when the belt conveyor started. He was pulled out of the chute and conveyed under two other chutes located on the same belt conveyor. After the belt conveyor was shut down, the victim was found under a third chute.

Best Practices

  • Establish safe work procedures before conducting specific tasks on belt conveyors and ensure that the safe work procedures are followed.
  • Train persons to recognize the hazards of working near belt conveyors.
  • Deenergize and block belt conveyors against motion before working near a chute, drive, head, tail, and take-up pulleys.
  • Lock-out/tag-out all energy sources to belt conveyors before working on them.
  • Sound audible warnings or alarms prior to starting belt conveyors.
  • Maintain communications with all persons performing the task. Before re-starting belt conveyors, ensure that all persons are clear.

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