On Nov. 8, 2020, (at a mine in Round Mountain NV with 864 employees*) a (58 year old*) bulldozer operator (with 41 years mining experience*) was killed when his bulldozer backed over the edge of a highwall (and came to rest over 300 feet downhill*).
Best Practices:
• Install and maintain lights to illuminate working places during the night and early morning hours.
• Install berms, signs or devices to identify the edge of working benches and to allow equipment operators to maintain control of equipment.
• Train equipment operators to identify dangerous conditions and to keep the dozer blade between the operator and the edge when near drop-offs.
• Develop and enforce policies requiring safety belts when operating machinery.
Additional Information:
This is the 24th fatality reported in 2020, and the eighth classified as “Machinery.” (* Italicized details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data)
Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).