Dangerous incident: dislodged

February 27, 2018 Tara

Summary: During the process of changing a drill bit, a drill rig operator stepped out of the cab and noticed the dust collector was full.
The operator stepped back into the cab and switched from drill mode to raise mask mode.
After switching modes the drill rods have spun and a rod has become dislodged, allowing the drill rod to hit and slightly penetrate the cab windscreen.
The operator wasn’t injured and no other person was in the area.
Recommendations to industry: Mine operators should re-enforce the importance to complete every task as per the procedure in place for the task.
Mine operators should highlight that every task takes time. Rushing or taking shortcuts can create unexpected hazards.

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