Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85644
SAFETY WATCH Maintain Safety and Health compiled by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief Maintenance workers are among the most likely to be injured in a surface mine, so take the proper precautions. From 2000 to 2008, there were 23 metal/non-metal fatali- ties directly related to maintenance activities. According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, maintenance work is more hazardous in comparison to other surface mining jobs; mechanics and their helpers have among the highest, if not the highest, rate of non-fatal injuries at sur- face mines. Common types of accidents involve material handling, suspended loads, hand and finger injuries, falling material, moving or falling equipment, slipping or broken tools, and being caught between objects. Consider the fol- lowing recommendations for safe performance of mainte- nance activities. DOs • Do wear your personal protective equipment. • Do establish and follow a schedule for rebuilding and replacing equipment. • Don't weld in a confined space if avoidable. • Don't run equipment without first examining it for safety defects prior to placing it in service. AM • Do inspect your tools, looking for worn parts, cracks, or broken pieces. Replace them as needed. • Do follow manufacturer's specifications and operating procedures. • Do de-energize, lock out, and block equipment/ machinery from motion before conducting repairs. • Do remove equipment from service if it does not operate properly. DON'Ts • Don't work on machinery unless it is properly locked out, de-energized, and tagged out. The accident: On June 14, 2003, a 25-year-old repair crew foreman with five years of experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was positioning a wedge bar to secure the upper liner plate in a stationary jaw crusher. The liner fell, striking the operator. • Don't position yourself under a suspended load that is not properly blocked or mechanically secured. • Don't position yourself around pinch-points of equipment such as steering linkages, wheel wells, etc. • Don't attempt to replace hoses or fittings while the hydraulic system is pressurized. Information from this Safety Watch is from an actual accident and is provided by the Mine Safety and Health AGGREGATES MANAGER April 2012 The bottom line: The accident occurred because the procedure to remove and install the crusher liner plate was inadequate. A section of angle iron was wedged against the metal crusher to secure the liner plate. The angle iron was dislodged and the 3,100-pound liner toppled over. Administration. It is meant for general information purposes only. Sponsored by and share with your plant personnel Tear this out