Mobile Equipment Hazards

Machinery, equipment, and tools 30 CFR § 56.14205 Machinery, equipment, and tools shall not be used beyond the design capacity intended by the manufacturer where such use may create a hazard to persons.

Warnings prior to starting or moving equipment 30 CFR § 56.14200 Before starting crushers or moving self-propelled mobile equipment, equipment operators shall sound a warning that is audible above the surrounding noise level or use other effective means to warn all persons who could be exposed to a hazard from the equipment.

Safety defects; examination, correction and records 30 CFR § 56.14100 (a) Self-propelled mobile equipment to be used during a shift shall be inspected by the equipment operator before being placed in operation on that shift. (b) Defects on any equipment, machinery, and tools that affect safety shall be corrected in a timely manner to prevent the creation of a hazard to persons.

Safety defects; examination, correction and records 30 CFR § 56.14100 (c) When defects make continued operation hazardous to persons, the defective items including self-propelled mobile equipment shall be taken out of service and placed in a designated area posted for that purpose, or a tag or other effective method of marking the defective items shall be used to prohibit further use until the defects are corrected.

Safety defects; examination, correction and records 30 CFR § 56.14100 (d) Defects on self-propelled mobile equipment affecting safety, which are not corrected immediately, shall be reported to and recorded by the mine operator. The records shall be kept at the mine or nearest mine office from the date the defects are recorded, until the defects are corrected. Such records shall be made available for inspection by an authorized representative of the Secretary.

October 17, 2002, a 45-year-old front-end loader operator, with 11 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim and a coworker were positioned on a conveyor attaching lifting chains suspended from the bucket of a track mounted back hoe. The victim was caught between the back hoe bucket and the conveyor frame when the boom and bucket moved unexpectedly

December 9, 2002, a 47-year-old truck driver with 1 year10 months mining experience was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim was in the process of removing a 12 foot long section of a walkway attached to a portable inclined conveyor. As he was cutting a metal attachment using an acetylene torch, the section of walkway collapsed on him.

April 24, 2002, a 22-year-old mechanic with five months mining experience was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim was conducting a performance test on the parking brake. He drove the loader up a 16 percent ramp when it stopped, rolled backwards and struck the edge of a waste pile. The loader rolled on its side and the victim, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown out of the cab.

July 2, 2002, a 51-year-old laborer with 21 weeks mining experience was fatally injured at a surface crushed stone mine. He was removing a support structure on a portable conveyor. The conveyor was positioned on a hydraulic jack supported by two wooden blocks when it shifted and fell crushing the victim

October 12, 2002, a 52-year-old co-owner of a sand and gravel operation was fatally injured. The victim accompanied her husband to the mine to assist in setting up a new weighing facility while he used a front-end loader to fill in dirt around the newly installed truck scales. Apparently the victim inadvertently walked into the path of the loader as it was backing.

February 9, 2002, a 38 year-old equipment operator with four months mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim had exited the cab of the bulldozer that he was operating and was run over by the machine.

January 21, 2002, a 51 year-old loader operator with 6 weeks mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim and a coworker were in the process of draining the water from the log washer at the end of the shift. The victim climbed inside the machine to remove debris and was crushed by the paddles when a third employee inadvertently started the machine from the plant control consol.

February 8, 2000, a 60-year-old mine foreman with 23 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim, who was scurrying to move his pick-up truck out of the way, was run over by a scraper as it was backing up.

April 25, 2001, a 39-year-old front-end loader operator with 2 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation while helping to assemble the plant. A front-end loader and a chain were being used to raise a conveyor. The rigging failed and the conveyor fell, striking the victim.

Do NOT operate or continue to operate any equipment if: The seat belt is defective. The service brakes can’t stop it on grades. Any guards are missing. The air compressor doesn’t keep up. The engine stalls for no reason. The accelerator or hydraulic controls are not completely free.

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