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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On July 14, 1998, a 63 - year old dredge operator with 7 years of mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was attempting to clear debris built up at the throat of the crusher. He was caught and drawn into the crusher drive belts. The guard had been removed and was laying nearby.

Best Practices

  • Guards should be securely in place while machinery is in operation.
  • Maintenance should not be performed unless the power is off and the machinery is blocked against hazardous motion.
  • Workplaces should be examined at least once each shift and corrections should be initiated by the operator to address safety and health hazards.
  • All tasks should be planned to minimize exposure to potential hazards.
  • This is the 28th fatality reported in calendar year 1998 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 1997, there were 38 fatalities reported in these industries. This is the 7th fatality classified as Machinery in 1998. There were 6 Machinery fatalities in the same period in 1997. Please note the 1997 final fatality count was changed from 60 to 61 after the close of the calendar year.

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