Accident Report: Fatality Reference
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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 � 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.
Best Practices
- Establish and discuss safe work procedures. Identify and control all hazards to finish the job safely.
- Train all persons to recognize and understand safe job procedures before beginning work.
- Evaluate procedures to ensure all possible hazards have been identified and appropriate controls are in place to protect persons.
- Continually check for unstable conditions throughout the dismantling process.
- Secure or remove heavy objects that have the potential to suddenly or unexpectedly shift.
Additional Information
This is the 18th fatality reported in calendar year 2008 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 2007, there were 28 fatalities reported in these industries. This is the 2nd Falling Material fatality in 2008. There were 2 Falling Material fatalities in the same period in 2007.