METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On January 20, 1999, a 51-year-old welder (contractor operator) with 4 years experience was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim and several co-workers had used a crane to lift a pan feeder which they wanted to turn over in preparation for transporting. After an initial attempt to lift the feeder, it was necessary to set it down again to adjust the rigging for better weight distribution. The feeder was lowered to the ground, resting in an unsecured position. The feeder rolled on its side, pinning the victim against the wall of an adjacent control booth.
Best Practices
All work tasks should be planned to eliminate exposure to possible hazards. Supplies should be unloaded in a manner which does not create a hazard to persons from the material falling or shifting. Wooden blocks or cribbing should be used to support large or heavy equipment when it is unloaded.
This is the third fatality reported in calendar year 1999 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 1998, there were three fatalities reported in these industries. This is the first fatality classified as Falling Material in 1999. There were no Falling Material fatalities in the same period in 1998.
For more information:
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report