MSHA reported that recent accidents highlight the risks associated with dump points and stockpiles, especially where stockpile stability and visibility are of concern. Fatalities and serious injuries have occurred when heavy equipment operators traveled or dumped material too close to a stockpile edge or worked too close to the toe of an over-steepened stockpile. MSHA recommends the following best practices…
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MSHA Reports 25th Fatality of 2024
MSHA reported that on April 13, a front-end loader operator at Martin Marietta Materials’ Morgan County Quarry in Buckhead, Ga., drowned, lying face down in a pool of water. The front-end loader operator was last seen using a water hose to wash material off a concrete pad next to a pool of water. This is the 25th fatality reported in…
Read MoreMSHA completes impact inspections at eight mines in seven states
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) completed impact inspections in September 2024 at eight mines in Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin and issued 112 violations. The agency conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. Of…
Read MoreMSHA issues haul truck roll over safety alert
MSHA reported that on Oct. 9, a 60-ton haul truck was dumping a load of material when the dump point sloughed off, causing the haul truck to slide down and overturn, coming to rest upside down 15 ft. below. The driver was rescued from the truck through the side window of the cab with minor injuries. MSHA recommends the following…
Read MoreMSHA issues safety alert for entrapment
MSHA reported that on Oct. 10,, a bulldozer fell into a feeder when a bridged coal pile collapsed, engulfing the bulldozer and trapping the operator inside the cab. Emergency response efforts were swift and organized, resulting in the successful rescue of the operator. The bulldozer was equipped with high-strength glass, oxygen bottles and a remote shut-off for the feeder, all…
Read MoreMSHA reports Alabama mine fatality
MSHA posted that a fatal accident occurred at an underground coal mine in Jefferson County, Alabama, on September 25. According to the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), a roof collapsed at the Oak Grove Resources Mine resulting in the death of one miner. At press time, the cause of the collapse was unclear. Operations are suspended at the mine…
Read MoreCauses and prevention of conveyor fires
An enormous part of worker safety is the prevention of hazardous situations at the mine site – especially those areas where risks are highest. There is always room to improve that level of safety, and behind that is understanding more about risk mitigation. To create a fire there must be three elements: oxygen, heat and fuel (also known as “the…
Read MoreNotes on underground mine safety
North American Mining takes a short walk through some recent topics in underground mine safety. By Jonathan Rowland Recent mining fatalities in the U.S. mining industry have involved vehicle collisions, electrocutions, falls, equipment rollovers, and drowning. Although fewer in number thus far this year compared to the same time last year, “fatalities, injuries, and illnesses are preventable, and one fatality…
Read MoreNavigating the regulatory landscape: Compliance and challenges for U.S. underground miningNavigating the regulatory landscape:
Kennametal has a consistent focus on customer’s sites and their operations-particularly changing underground regulations and how the costs of doing business changes in parallel. Underground mining procedures in the United States are filled with federal and state regulations to ensure safety, environmental protection, and fair labor practices. These highly complex regulations build a framework governing underground mining operations and significantly…
Read MoreMSHA issues alert on tire explosion during equipment fire
MSHA reported that on June 14, one firefighter died, and another was injured at Robar Enterprises Inc., Los Angeles, when a front-end loader tire exploded while firefighters fought an equipment fire. MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid this type of accident. In the event of a possible or actual fire (e.g., odor, heat, smoke, flames):
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