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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On January 21, 2000, a 56-year-old supervisor (contractor employee) with 30 years demolition experience was fatally injured at an alumina mill. The victim was observing the demolition of a steel building. Cables were attached from the partially cut steel I-beams of the top floor to a crawler-mounted hydraulic shear. As the floor section was being pulled, it hung and a dust collector fell from the top floor and tumbled down the pull cable. It struck the ground and rolled, pinning the victim beneath it.

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Best Practices

  • Material should not be dropped from an overhead location until the drop area is cleared of personnel.

  • Mine operators should take measures to assure all personnel are trained in safe work procedures.
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 second fatality reported in calendar year 2000 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 1999, there were three fatalities reported in these industries. This is the first fatality classified as Machinery in 2000. There were no Machinery fatalities in the same period in 1999.

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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




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