McCraren Compliance

MSHA MINE FATALITY #5

On Thursday, March 7, 2019, a 38-year-old miner with 10 years of mining experience received fatal injuries while he was working on the pad of a highwall mining machine (HWM).  The miner was contacted in a pinch point between a post and a section of the HWM (i.e. push beam) that was being removed as part of the normal mining cycle.

Fatality #5 Accident Scene
Best Practices:
  • Establish and discuss safe work procedures for removing push beams.  Identify and control all hazards and develop methods to protect miners.
  • Determine the proper working position to avoid pinch points.  Monitor personnel to ensure safe work procedures are followed.
  • Always follow the equipment manufacturer’s recommended maintenance procedures and discuss these procedures during training.
  • Train miners to recognize potential hazardous conditions and understand safe job procedures before beginning work.
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