UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION


Accident Investigation Report
Surface Sand and Gravel


Fatal Powered Haulage Accident


Martin Sand & Gravel
Martin Sand & Gravel (mill)
Hamilton City, Glenn County, California
ID No. 04-05302


February 3, 1997


by

Ronald G. Ainge
Mine Safety and Health Inspector

Gary L. Cook
Mine Safety and Health Inspector


Mine Safety and Health Administration
Western District
3333 Vaca Valley Parkway, Suite 600
Vacaville, California 95688


James M. Salois
Acting District Manager

GENERAL INFORMATION

Larry Hofman, plant operator, age 36, was injured at 11:40 a.m. on February 3, 1997 when he became entangled in the tail pulley of a custom built conveyor system. He died of his injuries on February 5, 1997. Hofman had worked in the mining industry for nine months, all with Martin Sand & Gravel.

Edward Tim Hurley, safety engineer for the State of California DIR/DOSH Mining and Tunneling Unit, notified MSHA of the accident on February 6, 1997. An investigation was started the same day.

The accident occurred at a portable crusher owned and operated by Martin Sand and Gravel of Hamilton City, Glenn County, California. The crusher was being used to process material provided by Pine Creek Rock (mine ID No. 04-05303) from its adjoining surface mine. Pine Creek Rock used a dozer to rip and loosen material and to stockpile it near the plant. Martin Sand and Gravel screened and crushed the material according to Pine Creek Rock's needs.

The sole official of Martin Sand and Gravel was Dennis Glassburn, owner. The plant normally worked one 9-hour shift, five days a week. Three people worked at the portable crusher, processing material.

There were no inspections at either of these mining/milling operations prior to the accident. Pine Creek Rock had notified MSHA of its intent to go into operation, Martin Sand and Gravel had not. A regular inspection was conducted March 5 and 6, 1997.

PHYSICAL FACTORS

The accident occurred at the No.1 discharge conveyor tail pulley of an El Jay portable crushing and screening plant. The No. 1 discharge conveyor was a custom built, sixty-foot long, lattice type conveyor driven by a single v-belt, ten horsepower motor. The conveyor was equipped with a 26-inch wide, self-cleaning, fin type tail pulley and a smooth head pulley of the same width. The head and tail pulleys were both thirteen inches in diameter. The conveyor's tail pulley had expanded metal guards edged with 1-3/16 inch flat bar straps. The top of the tail pulley and side pulley guards were covered with a piece of conveyor belt. The belting guard failed to cover the rear section of the tail pulley and exposed the moving machine parts to contact by persons. The 24-inch wide No. 1 discharge conveyor belt was fed material from the under-screen conveyor located beneath the El Jay's inclined screen deck. A distance of 17 inches separated the bottom of the under-screen conveyor's head pulley and the top of the No. 1 discharge conveyor tail pulley. The speed of the conveyor belt was approximately 300 feet per minute.

Before start-up, between 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., spilled material was cleaned up at the various transfer points in the crushing/screening plant. After several days of clean-up a pile of material would build up and have to be removed with a front end loader.

The weather on the day of the accident was clear and cool with the temperature between 50 and 60 degree Fahrenheit.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT

On the day of the accident, Larry O. Hofman (victim) reported for work at about 7:00 a.m. Hofman shoveled spilled material out from under the different transfer points until about 7:30 a.m. He then started the plant, let it run for a few minutes, and began processing material at about 7:45 a.m. The plant operated normally until about 11:40 a.m. when Jeannie Glassburn, feeding the plant with a front-end loader, noticed smoke coming from the area of the v-belt drive on the No. 1 discharge conveyor head pulley. She stopped her loader and went to the operator's booth to see if Hofman was aware of the problem. He was not at his station so Glassburn shut down the plant and went to the No. 1 conveyor. She was joined by James Ryan, an employee of Pine Creek Rock, who also noticed the smoke and came to investigate. They found Hofman unconscious with his sweater entangled in the conveyor tail pulley. The conveyor feeding the stalled conveyor had continued to operate, almost completely covering Hofman with material. Glassburn went to the operator's control booth and called 911 while Ryan began uncovering Hofman.

A Flight Care helicopter was dispatched from Enloe Hospital, Chico, California, along with two fire trucks from the California Department of Forestry. The helicopter arrived at about 12:00 noon. Flight nurse Donna Knapp cut away the sweater that had caused Hofman's asphyxiation and began CPR. He was then flown to the hospital where, as an organ donor, he was maintained on life support. He died February 5, 1997 when life support was discontinued.

CONClUSION

The primary cause of the accident was the victim working around the inadequately guarded tail pulley of a conveyor that had not been de-energized.

VIOLATIONS

Order No. 7952608

Issued on February 7, 1997 under provisions of Section of 103(k) of the mine act:

On February 3, 1997 a fatal accident occurred at the El Jay screen deck/cone crusher trailer and the No. 1 discharge conveyor when the operator became entangled in the tail pulley. This order was issued to insure the safety of persons until the affected areas of the operatioun could be returned to normal operation.

The order was terminated on February 10, 1997 upon completion of the investigation.

Citation No. 7952610

Issued on February 7, 1997 under provisions of Section 103 (j) for a violation of 30 CFR 50.10:

On February 3, 1997 a fatal accident occurred at the El Jay screen deck/cone crusher trailer and the No. 1 discharge conveyor when the operator became entangled in the tail pulley. Martin Sand and Gravel did not notify MSHA of the accident.

The citation was terminated on February 7, 1997 after the owner was made aware of required reporting procedures.

Citation No. 7952613

Issued on February 7, 1997 under provisions of Section 104 (a) for a violation of 30 CFR 56.14105:

On February 3, 1997 a fatal accident occurred at the El Jay screen deck/cone crusher trailer and the No. 1 discharge conveyor when the operator became entangled in the tail pulley. The victim had attempted to perform work on the conveyor without first deenergizing and blocking against motion.

The citation was terminated on February 7, 1997 after all mine personnel were instructed on safe work procedures.

Citation No. 7952614

Issued on February 7, 1997 under provisions of Section 104 (a) for a violation of 30 CFR 56.14112(b):

On February 3, 1997 a fatal accident occurred at the El Jay screen deck/cone crusher and the No. 1 discharge conveyor when the operator became entangled in the tail pulley. The guards on the tail pulley was inadequate, exposing personnel to moving machine parts.

The citation was terminated on February 10, 1997 after a new guard was constructed and secured to the frame.

Citation No. 7952616

Issued on February 7, 1997 under provisions of Section 104 (a) for a violation of 30 CFR 56.14107(a):

On February 3, 1997 a fatal accident occurred at the El Jay screen deck/cone crusher and the No. 1 discharge conveyor when the operator became entangled in the tail pulley. The discharge pulley installed on the underscreen conveyor was not guarded. The pulley was located above the No.1 Discharge Conveyor tail pulley, approximately 5 feet above ground level.

The citation was terminated on March 5, 1997 following the installation of a guard.

[FAB97M07]