Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government.

Fatality #13 - August 15, 2008

Lapse in Appropriations

For workplace safety and health, please call 800-321-6742; for mine safety and health, please call 800-746-1553; for Job Corps, please call 800-733-5627 and for Wage and Hour, please call 1-866-487-9243 (1 866-4-US-WAGE).  This website is currently not being updated due to the suspension of Federal government services. The last update to the site was 10/1/2025.  Updates to the site will start again when the Federal government resumes operations.

Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Ray - Arizona
Mine Controller: Grupo Mexico S A
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Incident Date/Time: August 15, 2008 10:00 am

Peter Eudave, apprentice electrician, age 41, was fatally injured on August 15, 2008, when he contacted a 480-volt electrical conductor. He was replacing the ballast in a floodlight. 



The accident occurred because management policies and controls were inadequate and failed to ensure that the electrical circuit was deenergized, locked-out, tagged, and tested before work was performed. 

FATALITY ALERT

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On August 15, 2008, a 41 year-old apprentice electrician with 14 years mining experience was fatally injured at a copper mine. The victim was working on a 480-Volt floodlight at the tailings booster station when he contacted energized electrical wiring supplying power to the light.

FINAL REPORT
MAI-2008-13

UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY & HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health 

REPORT OF INVESTIGATION 

Surface Metal Mine
(Copper) 

Fatal Electrical Accident
August 15, 2008