METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On April 11, 1998, a 47-year old plant manager with 2 months of mining experience was fatally injured at a stone quarry. The victim was cleaning material from around an unguarded conveyor belt tail pulley under the crusher. The self-cleaning tail pulley caught his clothing, drawing him onto the conveyor and he was wedged between the conveyor and a tension (snubber) pulley.

• Guards should be installed at all times when equipment is in operation.

• Pulleys of conveyors shall not be cleaned manually while the conveyor is in motion.

This is the 14th fatality reported in calendar year 1998 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 1997, there were 21 fatalities reported in these industries. This is the fifth fatality classified as Powered Haulage in 1998. There were 11 Powered Haulage fatalities in the same period in 1997.

For more information:
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report