There have already been four metal/nonmetal mine fatalities this year in the United States. Two of these (50%) were contractor fatalities, leading MSHA to release a safety alert that provides best practices to ensure the safety of contract miners. Hopefully there are lessons that can be learned from these tragedies that will help the industry improve its record on contractor safety and prevent future incidents in the coming year.
Contractor Fatalities and Safety Concerns
On January 8, 2015, a sales manager with 11 years of experience was killed at a sand and gravel mine when he was installing new screen panels on a screen deck; the feeder box pivoted and he was pinned between the box and the rear support beam of the screen deck. Just three days later, on January 11, 2015, a contract shaft miner with 35 years of experience was killed at an underground gold … Read more...
