Loading and unloading materials, supplies and products are daily activities at mine sites, activities that are often involved in many workplace injuries and fatalities. Since 2008, six miners have died as a result of accidents related to handling large diameter pipe at Metal and Nonmetal mines.
Best Practices
- Secure loads on trucks, forklifts and cranes.
- Establish and discuss safe procedures before beginning work. Identify and control all hazards with the work to be performed along with the methods to properly protect persons.
- Ground personnel should be highly visible. Unauthorized persons should be kept clear of the area. Examine work areas during the shift for hazards that may be created as a result of the work being performed.
- Evaluate the stability of the material before unfastening a load. Pay particular attention to loads that may have shifted or become unstable during transport.
- Stand clear of items of massive weights having the potential of becoming off-balanced while being loaded or unloaded.
- Use taglines of sufficient length to adequately protect persons.
- Unload materials on level ground and in a safe, controlled manner.
- Monitor personnel routinely to determine that safe work procedures are followed.