Serious Accident Alert – Excavator Operator Trapped

April 30, 2018 Tara

Surface – Sand and Gravel – On April 14, 2018, an excavator operator was
trapped in the cab for several minutes after material from a bank fell engulfing the
excavator. The miner suffered injuries to his arm.

Best Practices
• Train all persons to recognize adverse conditions and environmental factors that can decrease
highwall stability and understand safe job procedures to eliminate all hazards before beginning
work.
• Examine highwalls and material piles from as many perspectives as possible (bottom, sides,
and top/crest) while maintaining the safety of the examiners. Look for cracking, displacement, or
other signs of distress.
• Maintain safe access to the top of highwalls so thorough examinations can be conducted.
• Perform supplemental examinations of highwalls, banks, benches, and sloping terrain in the
working area during and following inclement weather.
• Immediately remove all personnel exposed to hazardous ground conditions, barricade and post
signs to prevent entry, and promptly correct unsafe conditions.
• Use mining methods that ensure highwall and bank stability and safe working conditions. Avoid
undercutting and/or over steepening of the highwall or bank slope. Mine only material that freely
flows down.

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