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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On August 24, 2004, a 39-year-old miner with 17 years mining experience was fatally injured at an underground gold mine. The victim had backed his haul unit under a load-out chute and exited the cab to operate the chute controls. He was found squeezed between his haul unit and a concrete support structure.

Photo of Accident Scene


Best Practices

  • Correct safety defects on mobile equipment before placing it in service.
  • Set the parking brake before exiting mobile equipment.
  • Establish procedures to position miners where they are not exposed to hazards when getting off haul units.
  • Equipment operators must use additional care and caution in areas of limited clearance.
    • 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 17th fatality reported in calendar year 2004 for the Metal and Nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 2003, there were 16 fatalities reported. This is the 5th fatality classified as Powered Haulage in 2004. There was one Powered Haulage fatality in the same period in 2003.

    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