Surface Area of Underground Salt Mine – The bottom cone section of a 750 ton bin broke loose and fell onto the conveyors below, spilling about 350 tons of salt on the ground. All persons were accounted for and there were no injuries. The areas surrounding the bin were barricaded to prevent access and the immediate area was marked with “caution tape” until an accident investigation could be conducted.
Best Practices
- Examine your work places for all possible hazards and correct them before you perform work.
- Conduct structural inspections periodically.
- Routinely examine metal structures for indications of weakened structural soundness (corrosion, fatigue cracks, bent/buckling beams, braces or columns, loose/missing connectors, broken welds, etc.).
- Keep corrosive material spillage/build-up removed from metal structures.
- Report all areas where indications of structural weakness are found.