MINE FATALITY – On Jan. 22, 2021, a shuttle car operator with 11 years of mining experience was in the operator’s compartment of his shuttle car, traveling through the last open crosscut, when a second shuttle car traveled through a ventilation curtain and struck his shuttle car. The corner of the second shuttle car entered the operator’s deck of the victim’s shuttle car. The operator was injured and passed away from the injuries on Feb. 21, 2021.
- Install and maintain proximity detection systems on mobile section equipment.
- Communicate your presence and intended movements. Wait until miners acknowledge your message before moving your equipment.
- Do not tram equipment through ventilation curtains. Tram only through fly pads in designated haulage routes.
- Use clear curtains for fly pads and ventilation controls on working sections.
- STOP and SOUND an audible warning device before tramming equipment through fly pads. Ensure directional lights are on when operating mobile equipment.
- Avoid areas where equipment operators cannot readily see you.
- Wear personal strobe light devices to increase visibility.
This is the tenth fatality reported in 2021, and the sixth classified as “Powered Haulage.”
McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.