MNM Fatality – 8/4/24

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On August 4, 2024, a contractor suffered severe chemical and thermal burns after he stepped into a deep opening in the floor obscured by puddled liquid. The contractor fell into a mixture of hot water and caustic liquid. On September 2, 2024, he died from his injuries.

Best Practices

• Install adequate warning signals and barricades for openings above, below, or near travelways where miners, including contractors, or materials may fall.
• Conduct workplace examinations to identify conditions that may adversely affect the safety or health of miners.
• Keep workplaces, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms clean and orderly.
• When wet processes are used, maintain drainage and provide false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing areas where practicable.

Additional Information

This is the 17th fatality reported in 2024, and the first classified as “Slip or Fall of Person.”

Click here for Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 8/9/24

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On August 9, 2024, an electrician was seriously injured by an arc flash from a 4,160 VAC circuit while working on an electrical panel for a motor control center.  On August 22, 2024, he died from his injuries.

Best Practices

  • Lock out and tag out circuits before working on electrical equipment:
    • Identify and control all hazardous energy sources before starting any task.
    • Open the circuit breaker or load break switch to de-energize the equipment. 
    • Open the visual disconnect to confirm that incoming power is off.
    • Lockout/Tagout the visual disconnect.
    • Ground the de-energized conductors.
  • Use properly rated electrical meters and personal protective equipment, such as electrically rated gloves, arc flash protection suits, insulated blankets or mats, and polycarbonate barriers. 
  • Establish safe procedures before beginning work and discuss them with all miners involved in the task.

Additional Information

This is the 15th fatality reported in 2024, and the second classified as “Electrical.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

Coal Fatality – 8/5/24

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On August 5, 2024, a miner was seriously injured when an air lifting bag he was using to rerail the conveyance that was carrying the longwall electrical power center suddenly dislodged.  The miner died from his injuries on August 7, 2024.

Best Practices

  • Block or secure equipment against hazardous motion.
  • Provide miners with proper tools for rerailing track equipment.
  • Train miners on safe work procedures and to identify hazards associated with their assigned tasks.

Additional Information

This is the 12th fatality reported in 2024, and the seventh classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

Coal Fatality – 7/25/24

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On July 25, 2024, a miner died when he was engulfed in material against the stacker belt conveyor’s feed chute.  The miner was kneeling and shoveling on the stacker belt conveyor when the belt conveyor unexpectedly rolled back.

Best Practices

  • Evaluate for possible stored energy and other hazards before beginning work.
  • Use proper devices and tools to block machinery against hazardous motion before performing repairs or maintenance.
  • Task train miners on safe work practices.

Additional Information

This is the 11th fatality reported in 2024, and the sixth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 6/14/24

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Note: This alert was posted as a Safety Alert for Tire Explosion on 7/19/24 and didn’t come up on my radar as a specific Fatal Alert. Sorry for the delay in posting to this site. – Randy

On June 14, 2024, one firefighter died, and another was injured when a front end loader tire exploded while firefighters fought the equipment fire.

Best Practices

In the event of a possible or actual fire (e.g., odor, heat, smoke, flames):

  • Stop the machine, lower all attachments, set the parking brake, and turn the equipment off.
  • Actuate the machine-mounted fire suppression system, if available.
  • Safely exit the machine and retreat to a safe location, preferably 1,000 feet away.
  • Warn all others in the vicinity of the fire, notify management, and contact appropriate emergency personnel.
  • Do not attempt to extinguish a tire fire with a hand-held extinguisher.
  • Wait for emergency responders to arrive. Stay clear of the fire.
  • From a distance, emergency personnel can use a fire or water truck to cool down the equipment. (See SAE J2828NOV2016 – Off-Road Tire Handling Guidelines.)

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

Coal Fatality – 5/31/24

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Note: This alert was posted as a Safety Alert for Unsupported Roof on 6/18/24 and didn’t come up on my radar as a specific Fatal Alert. Sorry for the delay in posting to this site. – Randy

On May 31, 2024, a 27-year-old coal miner suffered fatal injuries from a roof fall when he traveled under unsupported roof. In May 2021, a 32-year-old continuous mining machine operator was killed by a roof fall when he was working under unsupported roof.

Best Practices

Mine Management:

  • Prohibit work or travel under unsupported roof.
  • Train all miners and supervisors on the hazards of working and traveling into areas
    of unsupported roof.
  • Identify and correct unsafe work practices.

Roof Control Plans should include:

  • Identifying the next to last full row of permanent roof supports with highly visible
    markers at all approaches.
  • Installing and maintaining adequately designed roof/ground control where miners
    work or travel.
  • Guidance ensuring miners are safely positioned while setting temporary support.
    Installing temporary supports under the direct supervision of a certified foreman

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 7/12/24

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On July 12, 2024, a rock truck operator was seriously injured after being struck by the bucket of a front-end loader.  While walking to her parked truck, the rock truck operator passed under the raised front-end loader bucket as it was being lowered to the ground during maintenance.  On July 23, 2024, the rock truck operator died from her injuries.

Best Practices

  • Provide adequate illumination for miners performing maintenance.
  • Ensure the work area is clear and barricade equipment before performing maintenance.
  • Communicate your intended movements with mobile equipment operators and ensure they acknowledge your presence before traveling near mobile equipment.  
  • Stay clear of raised equipment or machinery until it has been lowered or securely blocked against motion.  
  • Wear reflective clothing when working in dark conditions.

Additional Information

This is the tenth fatality reported in 2024, and the fifth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MSHA Health Alert: Respirable Crystalline Silica

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On April 18, 2024, MSHA issued its final rule, Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica and Improving Respiratory Protection, to reduce miner exposures to respirable crystalline silica and improve respiratory protection for all airborne hazards. Some updated resources appear below.

Important Dates:

  • The final rule will take effect on June 17, 2024.
  • Coal mine operators are required to be compliant by April 14, 2025
  • MNM mine operators are required to be compliant by April 8, 2026

The Final Rule:

  • Establishes a uniform permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms per cubicmeter of air (μg/m3) and action level of 25 μg/m3 for all mines.
  • Uniform requirements for monitoring and controlling respirable crystalline silicaRequires medical surveillance at MNM mines, modeled after existing requirements forcoal mines.
  • Updates the existing respiratory protection requirements to the ASTM F3387-19Standard.

Resources

July Fatality Updates

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Final Reports posted:

Fatalities awaiting Fatality Alert to be posted:

  • 5/31/24 Coal – Fall of Roof or Back
  • 6/14/24 MNM – Fire
  • 7/12/24 Coal – Powered Haulage
  • 7/25/24 Coal – Powered Haulage

Fatalities awaiting Final Report to be posted:

June Fatality Updates

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Final Reports posted:

Fatalities awaiting Fatality Alert to be posted:

  • 5/31/24 Coal – Fall of Roof or Back
  • 6/14/24 MNM – Fire

Fatalities awaiting Final Report to be posted: