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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On August 29, 2007, a 41 year-old wash plant operator with 1½ years experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was preparing to patch a hole in a discharge pipe located under the classifier. He was positioned on a plank placed across the top of an open tank located under the pipe. The plank broke and he fell approximately 7 feet to the bottom of the empty tank.

Photo Showing Accident Scene Described in Paragraph Above

Best Practices
  • Identify all possible hazards and ensure steps are taken to safely perform the task. (SLAM ) Stop, Look, Analyze, and Manage.
  • Ensure that substantial working platforms or scaffolds capable of supporting the applied load are used to access elevated work areas.
  • Always use restraint devices and tie off to an appropriate length lanyard or retractable lanyard where there is a danger of falling.
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 22nd fatality reported in calendar year 2007 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 2006, there were 20 fatalities reported in these industries. This is the 3rd Fall of Person fatality in 2007. There were 3 Fall of Person fatalities in the same period in 2006.

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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