MSHA - Safety Hazard Pocket Cards: Pocket Cards: Job Safety Tips: Suggested Safety Measures for Operating Equipment on Surge Piles

A to Z Index | Find It! in DOL | [skip navigational links] Search MSHA's Website

MSHA Job Safety Tips

Suggested Safety Measures for Operating Equipment on Surge Piles

Accidents can occur at surge piles when a person, or a piece of equipment, is drawn down into the feeding material. Feeding material acts like “quicksand.”

Another danger is that a person or piece of equipment can fall into a hidden cavity above a feeder when the bridged over material collapses.

The following safety suggestions apply to surge piles where equipment, normally a dozer, operates directly on the stockpiled material, to push the material to the feeder openings.

Never operate equipment directly over a feeder.
Never walk on stockpiled material in the area of a feeder.
Always operate equipment with it facing the feeder.
Indicate feeder locations with an overhead marker.
Use signal lights to indicate an active feeder.
Use equipment with a fully-enclosed cab.
Equip the cab with self-contained self-rescuers.
Equip the cab with a two-way radio.
Have adequate illumination at night.
Before starting a feeder, check that miners or equipment are not in the area.
Have operators in their equipment and on the pile early in the loading operation so that they can observe how the material is feeding.
Operate with the drawhole kept nearly full to avoid having equipment drawn into it.
Get training on the potential hazards and safety precautions.
Have a chart in the cab indicating expected drawhole size for different pile heights.
Notify the supervisor if a cavity forms or is suspected.
To eliminate a cavity, remove material, starting from well off to the side of the possible cavity and away from other feeders.
Consider using a video camera and monitor if the surge pile cannot be seen from the control panel.
Have contingency plans in place should a piece of equipment become trapped.

U.S. Department of Labor
Mine Safety and Health Administration


Back to Top	www.msha.gov	www.dol.gov
Frequently Asked Questions \| Freedom of Information Act \| Customer Survey Accessibility \| Privacy & Security Statement \| Disclaimers

Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) 1100 Wilson Boulevard, 21st Floor Arlington, VA 22209-3939	Phone: (202) 693-9400 Fax-on-demand: (202) 693-9401 Technical (web) questions: Webmaster On-line Filing Help: MSHAhelpdesk@dol.gov or call (877) 778-6055 Contact Us