MSHA reported that on Feb. 25, a miner at La Havana Pit, Hidalgo, Texas, drowned when his excavator traveled over a berm into a sediment pond.
This was the eighth fatality reported in 2023, and the first classified as “Drowning.”
MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid this type of accident:
- When working near water, install a combination seat belt cutter and window breaker tool in the operator’s cab of equipment.
- Keep all exits clear in cabs, including alternate and emergency exits, and make sure the doors and windows open freely before beginning work.