On February 3, 2011, a 49 year old dozer operator, with 2 years mining experience, was killed at a surface area of an underground coal mine. The accident occurred at an access road leading to a gas well plugging site. The victim parked on a grade and dismounted the dozer to assist a truck driver connect a winch cable from the dozer to the water truck. The dozer drifted backward into the water truck, pinning the victim between the truck and the dozer. The parking brake was not set and the blade was not lowered on the dozer.
On March 25, 2011, MSHA Solicitors made a determination that this fatality is not under MSHA jurisdiction, and therefore, not chargeable to the mining industry.
Best Practices
- Ensure that equipment operators are trained and knowledgeable about equipment operation and the associated hazards.
- Perform pre-operational equipment checks for defects and repair any defects found before operating equipment.
- Analyze the job for what needs done and look for what could go wrong. More information can be obtained here: http://www.msha.gov/SLAMRisks/SLAMRISKS.pdf
- Block dozers against motion by lowering the blade, setting parking brakes, and shutting off the machine.
- Position equipment on flattest grade possible to connect equipment for towing, and consider positioning the tow machine at a distance and angle that would prevent a rollback collision.
- Stay in equipment, if equipment has the potential to move.
Additional safety information can be found on Safety Target Packages:
- MSHA – Safety Targets Program – BLOCK AGAINST MOTION
- MSHA – Safety Targets Program – Operating Surface Equipment (Coal) Safety Awareness
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)