The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a new Serious Accident Alert. A miner was operating a portable crusher when a large rock fell striking him on the left side of his head. The miner was wearing a hard hat at the time. The miner was taken to the hospital and released later that day.
MSHA recommends the following best practices:
- Be mindful of falling material hazards and the risks from rock that can fly out from the crusher.
- Wear required personal protective equipment.
- Install adequate guarding in areas where miners work to protect them from the hazards of falling or flying rock from the crusher.
- Restrict access to areas prone to falling or flying material.
- When performing maintenance, prevent unplanned and hazardous movement of equipment by using lockout/tagout procedures. Fall protection is required where there is danger of falling.
- Train miners on hazards associated with portable crushing operations.
This alert can be posted on bulletin boards, used in safety talks or given to miners and contractors as a hand-out.