Fatality #18 - October 9, 2008

Lapse in Appropriations

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Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind

Location: South Area - Nevada

Mine Controller: Newmont Mining Corp

Mine Type: Surface

Mined Material: Gold Ore

Incident Date/Time: October 9, 2008 02:35 pm

Ronald W. Keen, welder, age 56, was fatally injured on October 9, 2008. Keen and another miner were disassembling a tool rack in preparation to move it to a new truck shop. Three steel plates had been removed from the front section of the tool rack, placed on the shop floor and leaned against the tool rack. The weight of the detached plates caused the tool rack to rotate, slide, and topple onto the victim and the other miner, who was hospitalized and later released.

The accident occurred because management failed to establish procedures to ensure that persons could safely disassemble the tool rack. A risk assessment to discuss the task with the miners and identify possible hazards was not conducted prior to performing the task. The steel plates were positioned in a manner which created a fall of material hazard.

FATALITY ALERT

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On October 9, 2008, a 56 year-old welder with 21 years of experience was fatally injured at a surface gold operation. The victim and another miner were dismantling a tool rack in preparation to move it to a new truck shop. Three steel plates (4 feet by 8 feet by ï¿½ inch) that had been removed from the front section of the tool rack were resting on the shop floor and leaning against the tool rack. The weight of the detached steel plates caused the tool rack to rotate, slide, and topple onto the victim.