Fatality Alert - Fatality #2 - January 11, 2015 | Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)

Accident Report: Fatality Reference

Fatality #2 - January 11, 2015

PDF Version

fab-m2.pdf (120.85 KB)

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY – On January 11, 2015, a 53-year old contract shaft miner with 35 years of experience was killed at an underground gold mine. The victim was positioned on a work platform on top of a skip traveling up the ventilation shaft. He struck a steel cross member on a beam in the shaft.

A skip inside a mine ventilation shaft. Photo labels the beam which caused the fatal accident.

Best Practices

Train all persons in hazard recognition, awareness of their surroundings, and safe positioning when riding skips.
To prevent hazard exposure, require safe positioning for personnel who ride skips.
Monitor all persons for safe positioning when riding skips.
Place warning signs on skip platforms to remind persons to keep body parts inside the handrails.

Additional Information

This is the 2nd fatality reported in calendar year 2015 in metal and nonmetal mining. As of this date in 2014, there were 0 fatalities reported in metal and nonmetal mining. This is the 1st Hoisting fatality in 2015. There were 0 Hoisting fatalities in the same period in 2014.