On October 11, 2018, a 26-year old miner with 48 weeks of experience at the mine was fatally injured as a result of falling from on top of a previously cut block of granite. The victim was in the process of separating the cut block of granite from the highwall when the cut block suddenly slid out. The movement caused the miner, who was not wearing fall protection, to lose his balance and fall between the rock and the highwall causing fatal injuries.
Best Practices
- Install fall protection systems that allow safe movement to perform work.
- Always conduct examinations of working places in order to identify loose ground or unstable conditions before work begins and as changing ground conditions warrant.
- Ensure that the person conducting the examination has the training and experience to recognize potential hazards.
- Discuss work procedures and identify all hazards associated with working near highwalls along with the methods to protect personnel.
- Do not place yourself in a position that will expose you to hazards while performing work tasks.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).
On September 20, 2017, a contractor was fatally injured while rappelling within a conditioning tower. The victim was examining the inside of a 300’ vertical conditioning tower when an object fell from above and struck him in the head. The victim was conscious and transported to a local hospital where he died of his injuries the next day.
On August 3, 2017, a 32-year-old miner with 6 years of mining experience was fatally crushed while he was cutting one end of a metal beam. He was dismantling a metal structure at a preparation plant when the beam fell on him.
On July 20, 2017, a miner was driving wedges into a block of granite in an attempt to break it loose. A piece of granite weighing 9 tons fell and crushed the victim against the quarry floor.
On March 14, 2017, an independent owner/operator truck driver, walked behind his raised end-dump trailer, while dumping his load and was engulfed by sand.
On December 19, 2016, a 62-year old Front-end Loader Operator with 6 years of mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel surface mine. The victim was engulfed by sand when entered a hopper to remove a blockage.
On February 26, 2016, a truck driver delivering multiple sections of polyurethane pipe was struck by a section of pipe during the unloading process. A forklift removed two sections of pipe from the passenger side of the truck, and then left the area with the two sections. While the forklift was away, a single, unsecured section of pipe rolled off on the driver’s side of the truck and struck the victim. Each section of pipe was approximately 50’ long and weighed approximately 1,750 pounds. Miners began first aid but the driver was unresponsive. He was transported to the local hospital and later died.
