A miner was attempting to change the oil filter on the diesel motor for the cone crusher. The miner was using a filter wrench to remove the filter while standing on the battery box adjacent to the motor.. The filter wrench broke and slipped causing the employee to fall about 5 feet to the ground causing injury. The accident happened on July 25, 2017.
Best Practices
- Establish and discuss safe work procedures before beginning the task to ensure that workers are not exposed to hazards when performing maintenance or repairs
- Communicate and correct hazards in a timely manner.
- Ensure that workers are trained in and follow established safe work procedures recommended by the equipment manufacturer
- Provide safe access to all work areas including elevated platforms.
- Use appropriate fall protection or fall prevention where there is a danger of falling
- Inspect all tools prior to starting the job for defects that may affect safety
This alert can be posted on bulletin boards, used in safety talks, or given to miners and contractors as a hand out.