Bulldozer Operator

Employee was checking transmission fluid on dozer, and was found unconscious on ground, possibly related to medical emergency. *The miner never regained consciousness and succumbed to his injuries on October 5, 2015.

On September 26, 2015, at approximately 5:45 a.m. a 58-year-old bulldozer operator with 10 years of mining experience was found lying unconscious on the ground next to a bulldozer. The mine foreman had driven the bulldozer operator to his designated working area. After seeing that the bulldozer had not moved, he returned and found the bulldozer operator lying on the ground. First aid was started immediately by mine personnel and they continued medical treatment until emergency personnel arrived. The miner was airlifted to the hospital where he remained until October 5, 2015, when he died from his injuries.

Findings from MSHA's final investigation report, which supersedes the preliminary narrative above.

Activity at time of incident

Inspect Equipment Or Mine

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Fall from machine

Source of injury

GROUND

Nature of injury

UNCLASSIFIED,NOT DETERMED

Body part affected

HEAD,NEC

Total mining experience

11 years

Experience at this mine

7 years

Experience in this job

7 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY