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.

Best Practices

• Conduct pre-operational checks to identify any defects that may affect the safe operation of equipment before it is placed into service.
• Ensure workers who operate heavy equipment are adequately informed, instructed, trained and supervised.
• Do not position yourself near a truck that is actively dumping, or near a truck while it is raising its bed.
• Ensure that the tailgate is unlocked before elevating the cargo box to the dump position.
• Do not attempt to dump the material if it sticks in the bed.  Stuck material can imbalance the load and affect the stability of the truck. Always deflate trailer air springs prior to raising the dump body.

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

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.

Best Practices

• Task train persons to recognize all potential hazardous conditions and to understand safe job procedures for elimination of the hazards before beginning work.
• Train miners in safe work procedures and hazard recognition, specifically when clearing blocked hoppers.
• Ensure employees use proper housekeeping procedures in order to avoid extraneous trash from inadvertently entering feed hoppers.
• Establish and discuss policies and procedures for safely clearing hoppers.
• Equip hoppers with mechanical devices, grates/grizzlies or other effective means of handling material so persons are not required to work where they are exposed to entrapment by sliding material.
• Before working on or near equipment, ensure that the discharge operating controls are deenergized and locked out and ensure that material cannot discharge when the feeder is not activated.
• Wear a safety harness and lanyard, which is securely anchored and tended by another person, prior to entering bins, hoppers, tanks, or silos.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (pdf).

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.

Best Practices

• Analyze all tasks, identify possible hazards prior and eliminate the risks prior to beginning work.
• Before beginning work, establish safe work procedures, train and discuss with all persons performing the task.
• Examine work areas during the shift for hazards that may be created as a result of the work being performed.
• Evaluate the stability of the material before unfastening a load. Pay particular attention to loads that may have shifted or become unstable during transport.
• Install secondary supports (side stakes) of adequate height and strength to prevent material from falling when the load is unfastened; or prior to unfastening the material, secure the item being unloaded to the machine used in the unloading process.
• Stand clear of items of massive weights having the potential of becoming off-balanced while being loaded or unloaded.
• Implement measures to ensure persons are properly positioned and protected from hazards while performing a task. Ground personnel should be highly visible. Unauthorized persons should be kept clear of the area.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (pdf).

On August 3, 2015, a 64-year old miner with 44 weeks experience was killed at a sand and gravel mine. The victim was operating a front-end loader, loading trucks from a stockpile, when he exited the loader. While outside the loader, the approximate 35-foot high stockpile slope failed and engulfed the victim between the stockpile and the loader.

Best Practices

• Ensure that miners are adequately trained in determining the stability of a stockpile. Any unconsolidated material sloped above its natural angle of repose is, by definition, UNSTABLE and potentially DANGEROUS.
• Ensure that equipment on site has the capability to trim stockpiles safely.
• Ensure that equipment is parked in a safe location before exiting the vehicle.
• Ensure adequate work place examinations are performed and promptly correct hazardous conditions that adversely affect safety and health.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (pdf).