On Saturday, January 5, 2019, a 55-year-old contract miner received fatal injuries when he was pinned between a pneumatically powered air lock equipment door and the concrete rib barrier located near the shaft bottom.
Best Practices:
- Design and maintain ventilation controls, including airlock doors to provide air separation and permit travel between or within air courses or entries.
- Ensure that airlock doors are designed and maintained to prevent simultaneous opening of both sets of doors.
- Ensure miners are trained in the proper use of automatic doors and procedures to follow in the event the doors malfunction.
- Provide means to override automatic airlock doors and allow manual operation in case of an emergency.
- Keep the path of automatic doors clear of miners and equipment.
- When changes in ventilation are made, test automatic doors to ensure they operate safely under the new conditions.
- Perform thorough examinations of airlock doors to assure safe operating conditions. When a hazardous condition is found, remove the doors from service until they are repaired.