my point of view…

Safety and Operations: Training the Trainer

While preparing for an interview with Dave Lauriski and Kevin Burns regarding the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) new Small Mines Office, I visited MSHA’s website to review recent fatality and injury statistics.
Although overall fatalities were down, those that occurred reveal an alarming trend. Four of the six metal/non-metal fatalities for the first quarter involved supervisors. As the people who often perform safety training for aggregates operations, this segment of the industry should, theoretically, include the most well-versed employees working in a production environment. Yet despite a combined 70 years’ worth of mining experience, four supervisors lost their lives in aggregates operations during the first quarter of 2003.
Two were employed at underground mines. Three were fatally injured while performing maintenance work. All four made a mistake that prevented them from going home at the end of the day. Scores more co-workers, friends, and family feel the impact of decisions made while these men were on the job.
The first supervisor was standing 9 ft. above ground level at a door opening discussing repairs with another foreman when he leaned on a chain handrail installed across the door opening. The chain link slipped off a hook and caused him to fall to the concrete pad below.
Another supervisor was working with a co-worker to reposition a water discharge line near a fan at the top of a ventilation shaft in an underground mine. He stepped on a metal air shaft enclosure that failed, and he fell 143 ft. to another level of the mine.
A third supervisor was working at the surface of an underground mine. As a crane lifted steel plates to be used as take-up weights on one of the operations’ conveyor belts, this supervisor was positioning the plates. The rigging failed, and the plates crushed him.
The fourth supervisor was assisting with preparations to remove a shim plate from beneath a jaw crusher. He was positioned on the conveyor underneath the crusher while two co-workers removed the nuts holding the toggle block clamp bolts. When the nuts were removed, the shim fell and struck him.
No one is exempt from potential harm while on the job. These fatalities happened despite the fact that the supervisors involved had an average of 17 years’ worth of mining experience. They happened to people typically charged with safety training responsibilities. In one case, the fatality even occurred the day after an MSHA inspection.
While there are no guarantees, there are ways to minimize risks. Make sure that your operation performs an up-to-date hazard assessment. Exercise caution at all times, but particularly during maintenance procedures. Use the right equipment, along with best safety practices. Don’t assume that experienced employees can’t or won’t make mistakes. And above all, stress that safe work practices are an employee’s most important requirement. You’ll be glad you did.

May 2003 my point of view... Safety and Operations: Training the Trainer				my point of view… Safety and Operations: Training the Trainer While preparing for an interview with Dave Lauriski and Kevin Burns regarding the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) new Small Mines Office, I visited MSHA’s website to review recent fatality and injury statistics. Although overall fatalities were down, those that occurred reveal an alarming trend. Four of the six metal/non-metal fatalities for the first quarter involved supervisors. As the people who often perform safety training for aggregates operations, this segment of the industry should, theoretically, include the most well-versed employees working in a production environment. Yet despite a combined 70 years’ worth of mining experience, four supervisors lost their lives in aggregates operations during the first quarter of 2003. Two were employed at underground mines. Three were fatally injured while performing maintenance work. All four made a mistake that prevented them from going home at the end of the day. Scores more co-workers, friends, and family feel the impact of decisions made while these men were on the job. The first supervisor was standing 9 ft. above ground level at a door opening discussing repairs with another foreman when he leaned on a chain handrail installed across the door opening. The chain link slipped off a hook and caused him to fall to the concrete pad below. Another supervisor was working with a co-worker to reposition a water discharge line near a fan at the top of a ventilation shaft in an underground mine. He stepped on a metal air shaft enclosure that failed, and he fell 143 ft. to another level of the mine. A third supervisor was working at the surface of an underground mine. As a crane lifted steel plates to be used as take-up weights on one of the operations’ conveyor belts, this supervisor was positioning the plates. The rigging failed, and the plates crushed him. The fourth supervisor was assisting with preparations to remove a shim plate from beneath a jaw crusher. He was positioned on the conveyor underneath the crusher while two co-workers removed the nuts holding the toggle block clamp bolts. When the nuts were removed, the shim fell and struck him. No one is exempt from potential harm while on the job. These fatalities happened despite the fact that the supervisors involved had an average of 17 years’ worth of mining experience. They happened to people typically charged with safety training responsibilities. In one case, the fatality even occurred the day after an MSHA inspection. While there are no guarantees, there are ways to minimize risks. Make sure that your operation performs an up-to-date hazard assessment. Exercise caution at all times, but particularly during maintenance procedures. Use the right equipment, along with best safety practices. Don’t assume that experienced employees can’t or won’t make mistakes. And above all, stress that safe work practices are an employee’s most important requirement. You’ll be glad you did. Therese Dunphy, editorial director therese@aggman.com