Mine Safety and Health Administration
Protecting Miners' Safety and Health Since 1978
|
U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration Protecting Miners' Safety and Health Since 1978 |
|
 |
www.msha.gov |  |
| Find It! in DOL | Compliance Assistance | |
|
METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On August 21, 1995, a miner with 18 years of mining experience was killed at a platinum mine. Two miners were pulling ore from a chute when the chute became hung-up. The miners decided to try to free the hang-up by setting explosives in the chute. After three unsuccessful blasts, the miners attempted to free the hang-up by banging the chute gate against the chute lip. The material would not break free. As the employees started walking toward the chute, the material broke free. The ore came down with such force that it tore the chute off the I-beam supports. One employee was engulfed with the approximately 280 tons of wet, sticky material that fell. He died from suffocation. This is the 27th fatality reported in calendar year 1995 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 1994, there were 29 fatalities reported in these industries. This death is the fourth fatality classified as falling/sliding material this year. There were three falling/sliding material fatalities during the same period in 1994. For more information:
| |||||||||||||||
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL95M27]