Mine Fatalities Involving Conveyors

1
Mine Fatalities Involving Conveyors
2
Mining Fatality

• On August 1, 2005, a 30-year old laborer, with
  eight weeks mining experience, was fatally
  injured at a sand and gravel operation. The
  victim was using a shovel to remove clay that had
  built up on a return idler nearest to the head
  pulley when he was caught by the conveyor belt.

3
Mining Fatality

• On July 21, 2005, a 31-year old plant operator
  with two years mining experience was fatally
  injured at a sand and gravel operation. The
  victim made a splice on a conveyor belt and was
  making adjustments to the belt. He was found
  entangled in the tail pulley of the conveyor.

4
Mining Fatality

• On January 25, 2005, a 49-year-old quarry
  operator, with 14 years mining experience, was
  fatally injured at a cement operation. The victim
  was cleaning loose material and pumping water
  from the primary crusher conveyor belt basement.
  He contacted an unguarded return idler that was
  about four feet above the ground and was trapped
  between the conveyor belt and the return idler.

5
Mining Fatality

• On Sunday, September 26, 2004, a 46-year old
  utility man with 12 years mining experience was
  fatally injured when he contacted a moving
  underground belt conveyor system. The victim was
  attempting to install a belt scraper at a
  tailpiece while the belt was in motion. A chain
  attached to the scraper was caught by the belt,
  dragging it and the victim into the tailpiece
  roller.

6
Mining Fatality

• On Thursday, April 22, 2004, a 57-year old
  general inside laborer with 30 years mining
  experience was fatally injured when he came in
  contact with a conveyor system. The victim had
  been assigned belt cleaning duties and during the
  performance of these duties came in contact with
  the conveyor belt. After being carried
  approximately 9,000 feet by the conveyor system,
  the victim was found by the bulldozer operator.

7
Mining Fatality

• On December 9, 2002, a 47-year-old truck driver
  with 1 year10 months mining experience was
  fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The
  victim was in the process of removing a 12 foot
  long section of a walkway attached to a portable
  inclined conveyor. As he was cutting a metal
  attachment using an acetylene torch, the section
  of walkway collapsed on him.

8
Mining Fatality

• On September 23, 2002, a 43 year-old plant
  operator with 17 months experience was fatally
  injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim
  was removing fines that had packed around a
  winged tail pulley of a belt that had been buried
  by spillage. As the spillage was removed, the
  bound conveyor belt moved backward a short
  distance and caught the victim's arm between the
  belt and the tail pulley.

9
Mining Fatality

• On July 2, 2002, a 51-year-old laborer with 21
  weeks mining experience was fatally injured at a
  surface crushed stone mine. He was removing a
  support structure on a portable conveyor. The
  conveyor was positioned on a hydraulic jack
  supported by two wooden blocks when it shifted
  and fell crushing the victim.

10
Mining Fatality

• On Thursday, April 19, 2001, a belt foreman, with
  over 22 years of mining experience, was fatally
  injured in a machinery accident. The victim was
  making an examination of a 54" belt conveyor
  drive take-up unit while the belt conveyor was
  still in motion. The victim's left arm was
  detached by the rotating rollers of the belt
  conveyor take-up unit. There were no eyewitnesses
  to the accident.

11
Mining Fatality

• On October 29, 2001, a 36-year-old laborer, with
  5 weeks of mining experience, was fatally injured
  at a surface sand and gravel mine when he became
  entangled in a conveyor tension roller. The
  victim had been assigned to do miscellaneous
  clean up throughout the plant and became
  entangled while carrying out his duties.

12
Mining Fatality

• On February 9, 2001, a 21-year-old oiler with 8
  months mining experience was fatally injured at a
  crushed stone operation. The victim was
  performing a task underneath a transfer conveyor
  belt when he was caught between the conveyor belt
  and a return roller.

13
Mining Fatality

• On April 21, 2000, an 18-year-old plant operator
  with 1 year mining experience was fatally injured
  at a sand and gravel operation. The victim, who
  had been operating the plant alone, became
  entangled in the unguarded tail pulley of the
  sand washer conveyor.

14
Mining Fatality

• On April 12, 2000, a 38-year-old laborer with 4
  years mining experience was fatally injured at a
  crushed stone operation. The victim and a
  co-worker were making adjustments to a new
  conveyor installation. The victim was aligning
  the extended grease lines for the bend pulley
  from inside the conveyor frame. He was caught and
  drawn into the pinch point when the conveyor was
  started without his knowledge.

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Safe Work Practices

• Maintenance should not be performed unless the
  power is off and machinery components are blocked
  against motion.
• Visible or audible warnings should be provided
  before conveyor start-up when the entire length
  of the conveyor is not visible from the starting
  switch.
• Mine operators should take measures to assure all
  personnel are trained in safe work procedures.

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Safe Work Practices

• Moving machine parts should be guarded to protect
  persons from contact that could cause injury.
• Conveyors should be provided with emergency stop
  cords along their entire length. Moving machine
  parts should be guarded to protect persons.
• Clean up in and around moving machinery should
  not be conducted while the equipment is in
  operation.
• Safe access should be provided to all working
  areas.

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Safe Work Practices

• Ensure manufacturer's recommendations are
  reviewed and miners are trained regarding
  maintenance tasks prior to beginning work.
• Identify and discuss possible hazards and address
  steps to eliminate them.
• Ensure the proper tools are provided and used to
  complete all required tasks.
• Block all equipment or machinery components to
  prevent possible movement.