DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
Northeast District
Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health
Accident Investigation Report
Surface Nonmetal Mine
(Crushed Stone)
Fatal Powered Haulage Accident
Keystone Landfill, Incorporated
Keystone Quarry
Dunmore, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Mine I.D. No. 36-08726
April 11, 1998
By
Dennis A. Yesko
Supervisory Mine Safety and Health Inspector
and
Mark Barlow
Mine Safety and Health Inspector
Issuing Office
Northeastern District Office
230 Executive Drive, Suite 2
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania 16066-6415
James R. Petrie
District Manager
GENERAL INFORMATION
William Hazelton, plant operator, age 47, was fatally injured at 7:30 a.m., on April 11, 1998, when he became entangled in a conveyor belt tail pulley. Hazelton had a total of 2 months mining experience, all as a plant operator at this operation. He had not received training in accordance with 30 CFR Part 48.
MSHA was notified by a telephone call from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on April 13, 1998. An accident investigation was started the same day.
The Keystone Quarry, a crushed sandstone operation, owned and operated by Keystone Landfill, Incorporated, was located at Dunmore, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. The principal operating official was Paul Sebolka, quarry superintendent. The mine operated one, 10-hour shift, 5� days a week. A total of 12 persons was employed.
Sandstone was drilled and blasted from a single bench in the pit. Broken stone was loaded by excavator and front-end loader onto haulage trucks and transported to either the No. 1 or No. 2 primary crushing plant where it was crushed, sized, and conveyed to stockpiles. The finished product was used in the company's landfill and sold as construction aggregate. The mine produced approximately 1.5 million tons of aggregate in 1997, of which approximately 50 percent was sold commercially.
The mine had been operated for about eight years. MSHA had not been notified pursuant to 30 CFR 56.1000.
PHYSICAL FACTORS INVOLVED
The accident occurred at the No. 2 primary plant. The equipment involved was a Svedala-Allis, Model 1208 HD, portable crushing plant equipped with a 32- by 48-inch jaw crusher, and powered by a 295-horsepower Cummins diesel engine. The discharge belt was about 44 feet long, 48 inches wide and 7/16-inch thick. The tail pulley was a fluted (self-cleaning) design and measured about 51 inches long and 12 inches in diameter. The tail pulley was positioned 42� inches above ground level and was not guarded to protect persons from contacting the moving parts and pinch-point. Reportedly, a guard had been installed approximately two years ago, but was removed six to eight months later and never replaced. A 19-inch wide walkway existed between the rear of the tail pulley and a horizontal I-beam that ran parallel to the tail pulley. The walkway was used daily for maintenance and clean up.The snubber pulley for the belt was 51� inches long and 4 inches in diameter. It was positioned on top of the belt, 19 inches in front of the tail pulley and provided tension on the belt.
To facilitate crushing operations during freezing weather, the support frame below the feed hopper of the portable plant had been covered with plywood on the north and south sides and the enclosed area was heated with a propane heater. Persons accessed the tail pulley area through a man door provided in the south wall or through openings that existed in the north wall. Sebolka reported that the company had instructed employees to stay clear of the tail pulley while the plant was operating.
The victim had been using a water hose to clean the tail pulley section of the conveyor and floor area.
DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT
On the day of the accident, William Hazelton (victim) reported for work at 5:30 a.m., his regular starting time. He attended the daily employee meeting at the plant shop, then went to the No. 2 primary plant. Hazelton started the diesel engine, set the throttle just above idle, and engaged the drive clutch which started the crusher and discharge conveyor. This allowed fluids to circulate so they would reach operating temperature. Hazelton spoke to the Gonulka Sheridan, No. 1 plant ground man, around 6:30 a.m. They discussed the need for clean-up and Hazelton asked to use the skid loader when Gonulka was finished. Between 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., Hazelton went to the tail pulley area of the No. 2 plant, where he began to wash down spillage that had accumulated the day before.
At about 7:40 a.m., Paul Sebolka, quarry superintendent, noticed two haulage trucks waiting to dump at the No. 2 primary plant hopper. After failing to reach Hazelton by radio, Sebolka went to the plant and noticed the water hose on the ground spraying water inside the access door to the tail pulley. The victim was not in sight. Sebolka went into the conveyor tail pulley area and discovered Hazelton lying on the conveyor belt. Hazelton's right arm and shoulder had been drawn between the snubber pulley and the belt, and his coat tail was entangled in the tail pulley. The belt was stalled. Sebolka disengaged the clutch from the diesel engine and radioed for help. He returned to Hazelton and checked for a pulse, finding none. Emergency personnel arrived on the scene a short time later and Hazelton and was pronounced dead at approximately 9:30 a.m. The conveyor belt had to be cut to remove his body.
CONCLUSION
The cause of the accident was failure to guard the tail pulley of the No. 2 primary plant and failure to ensure the conveyor was shut off before cleaning around the tail pulley. Failure to conduct workplace examinations and correct hazardous conditions were contributing factors.
Violations
Order No. 4435486 was issued on April 13, 1998, at 3:00 p.m., under the provisions of Section 103(k) of the Mine Act.
A fatal accident occurred at this operation on April 11, 1998, when an employee was working near an unguarded self-cleaning tail pulley on the discharge conveyor at the No. 2 primary plant. The employee contacted the tail pulley causing him to be drawn between the snub pulley and the conveyor belt. This order is issued to assure the safety of persons until the affected areas can be returned to normal mining operations as determined by an authorized representative of the Secretary. The operator shall obtain approval from an authorized representative for all actions to recover persons, equipment, and/or restore operations in the affected area.
This order was terminated on April 13, 1998. Conditions that contributed to the accident have been corrected and normal operations can resume.
Citation No. 7714220 was issued on April 15, 1998, under the provisions of Section 104(d)(1) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 56.14107(a):
A fatal accident occurred at this operation on April 11, 1998, when an employee was working near an unguarded self-cleaning tail pulley on the discharge conveyor at the No. 2 primary plant. The employee contacted the tail pulley causing him to be drawn between the snub pulley and the conveyor belt. The tail pulley had been guarded soon after the plant began production about 2 years ago, but the guard was removed 6 to 8 months later. The mine operator knew that the tail pulley was not guarded in that they had instructed employees to stay away from the conveyor while it was in operation. This is an unwarrantable failure to comply with a mandatory safety standard constituting more than ordinary negligence.
This citation was terminated on April 23, 1998, after a guard was provided on the tail pulley for the No. 2 primary crushing plant.
Order No. 7714221 was issued on April 15, 1998, under the provisions of Section 104(d)(1) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 56.14105:
A fatal accident occurred at this mine on April 11, 1998, when an employee was working near an unguarded self-cleaning tail pulley on the discharge conveyor at the No. 2 primary plant, and was drawn between the snub pulley and conveyor belt. The exposed tail pulley was 42� inches above ground and was easily accessible from both sides of the rear. The power had not been shut off and the conveyor had not been blocked against motion in that the diesel engine driving the conveyor belt had not been shut off before work commenced. This is an unwarrantable failure to comply with a mandatory safety standard.
This order was terminated on April 24, 1998, after mine management conducted a safety meeting with all employees to discuss the requirements of 30 CFR 56.14105.
Order No. 7714222 was issued on April 15, 1998, under the provisions of Section 104(d)(1) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 56.18002(a):
A fatal accident occurred at this mine on April 11, 1998, when an employee contacted an unguarded self-cleaning tail pulley and was drawn between the snub pulley and the conveyor belt at the No. 2 primary plant. The mine operator was aware that the tail pulley was not guarded and failed to initiate appropriate action to correct the hazardous conditions. This is an unwarrantable failure to comply with a mandatory safety standard.
This order was terminated on April 24, 1998. Workplace examinations are being conducted by the mine operator.
Citation No. 7714225 was issued on April 15, 1998, under the provisions of Section 104(a) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 56.1000:
The mine operator failed to notify MSHA of the commencement of operations. This mine has been operating for several years.
This citation was terminated on April 15, 1998.
Citation No. 7714226 was issued on April 15, 1998, under the provisions of Section 104(a) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 50.10:
A fatal accident occurred at this operation on April 11, 1998, when an employee was working near an unguarded self-cleaning tail pulley and was drawn between the snub pulley and belt at the No. 2 primary plant. The mine operator failed to immediately notify MSHA of the accident.
This citation was terminated on April 15, 1998.
Related Fatal Alert Bulletin:
FAB98M14