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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On January 21, 2002, a 23 year-old utility person with 5 years mining experience was fatally injured at a surface cement operation. The victim was fatally injured when he climbed into a silo to unplug a blockage and was engulfed by material.

Photo of Accident Scene

Best Practices

  • A safety harness attached to a lifeline should always be used when persons enter silos, hoppers or surge piles. A second person should constantly adjust the lifeline to eliminate slack.

  • Safe access should be provided and maintained to all working places.

  • Silos should be equipped with mechanical devices or other effective means of handling material so persons are not required to work where they are exposed to entrapment by sliding material. 
  • More Information E-mail Suggestion for Accident Prevention Program Submit your own suggestion for a remedy to prevent this type of accident in the future.
    Please specify if you wish your submission to be anonymous or whether your name may be used. Please include the year of the fatality and the fatality number.

    This is the third fatality reported in calendar year 2002 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 2001, there was one fatality reported in these industries. This is the first fatality classified as Falling/Sliding Material in 2002. There were no Falling/Sliding Material fatalities in the same period in 2001.


    The information provided in this notice is based on preliminary data ONLY and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the incident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality.


    For more information:
    Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report Will Not be Posted.