Coal Mine Fatality - On Tuesday, December 21, 2004, a 62 year old maintenance worker with 33 years experience, was injured while attempting to install a tire on a shuttle car. As the victim was attempting to tighten the lug bolts, the metal rings and tire blew off of the rim, striking the victim in the head and chest. The victim died on January 4, 2005.
Best Practices
Consult and follow the manufacturer's guidelines for wheel replacement and removal. Reference the following link to obtain various manufacturers' contact information for these guidelines: http://www.msha.gov/Accident_Prevention/Tips/rimwheel.htm. Clean all rust and dirt from mating surfaces before assembly. Don't mix components from different wheel manufacturers or models. NEVER beat on a pressurized multi-piece wheel/tire assembly. Provide comprehensive tire and rim safety training to maintenance personnel who service tires and rims. Never attempt to use broken or worn parts.
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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. |
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This is the 29th fatality reported in the coal mining industry in calendar year 2004, and this is the 8th classified as Machinery. As of December 21, 2003, there were 30 fatalities.
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:
MSHA's Fatal Accident
Investigation Report