On Feb. 25, 2021, a 26-year old plant operator died after entering a cyclone discharge box at an industrial sand mine with 9 employees in West Valley City, Nevada*. The local fire department recovered the victim lodged in an 18-inch wide discharge pipe that was full of water.
Best Practices:
- Wear a fall protection harness, properly tie off to a permanent support structure, and attach a lifeline when entering a bin or other confined space. Have a second person monitor the lifeline to make sure there is no slack in the fall protection system.
- Use personnel lifts or ladders to safely access elevated work areas.
- Always use fall protection when there’s a potential fall hazard.
- Examine work areas and equipment. Report defects and do not use unsafe work equipment.
- Assess risks and hazards before beginning maintenance activities.
- Train miners to safely perform their tasks and properly use their personal protective equipment.
Additional Information:
This is the fifth fatality reported in 2021, and the first classified as “Slip or Fall of Person.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)
Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).