Accident Report: Fatality Reference
METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On April 24, 2008, a 48 year-old laborer with 32 weeks experience was fatally injured at an underground industrial sand mine. The victim was checking the roof and ribs for scaling when she was struck by a front-end loader as it backed up.
Best Practices
- Before moving mobile equipment, look in the direction of travel, be certain no one is in the intended path, sound the horn to warn possible unseen persons, and wait to give them time to get to a safe location.
- Ensure all miners are trained to recognize work place hazards, specifically the limited visibility and blind areas inherent to operation of large equipment and the hazard of mobile equipment traveling near them.
- Supervisors should regularly monitor work practices, especially those of new miners, and reinforce the importance of safe work practices and take immediate action to correct unsafe conditions or work practices.
- Wear reflective clothing to ensure high visibility when necessary to walk or work in the area of moving equipment.
- Correct any defects that may affect the safe operation of self-propelled mobile equipment.
Additional Information
This is the 7th fatality reported in calendar year 2008 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 2007, there were 10 fatalities reported in these industries. This is the 2nd Powered Haulage fatality in 2008. There was one Powered Haulage fatality in the same period in 2007.