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Fatality Alert - Fatality #1 - January 6, 2009

Accident Report: Fatality Reference

PDF Version

fab09m01.pdf (101.34 KB)

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On January 6, 2009, a 41 year-old laborer with 3 years of experience was injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was operating a skid steer loader underneath a belt conveyor that was being dismantled. Two coworkers were in an elevated manlift removing a 12-foot piece of 4-inch metal tubing from the leg supports of the belt conveyor frame. The tubing fell into the front of the skid steer loader as it approached the work area, striking the victim. He was hospitalized and died on January 9, 2009. 

Photo of Accident Scene Described in the Paragraph Above

Best Practices

  • Establish and review procedures to ensure all possible hazards have been identified and appropriate controls are in place to protect persons before beginning work. Discuss procedures with all persons present in the work area.
  • Establish policies to ensure that barricades or warning signs are installed to prohibit access and protect persons from falling object hazards.
  • Remove all persons from beneath the area where overhead work is being performed.

Additional Information

This is the 1st fatality reported in calendar year 2009 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 2008, there were no fatalities reported in these industries. This is the 1st Falling Material fatality in 2009. There were no Falling Material fatalities in the same period in 2008.