Clerk

Knife River miners were replacing a screen. Our sales representative was on site. He was on site to provide technical assistance. He was struck in the head by the feeder box. EMS was notified and responded. A Knife River operator notified MSHA within 15 minutes. Injured person was taken to the hospital where he then passed away.

On January 8, 2015, Alan Tindall, Contract Sales Manager, age 63, was killed at this mine while working with mine personnel to install new screen panels in a tower screen. A loosened feeder box pivoted down, pinning Tindall between the box and the splash curtain support bracket on the screen. On January 7, 2015, the day before the accident, mine personnel cut four of the six retaining nuts and bolts holding the feeder box in place with a torch and the two remaining bolts were loosened to allow the old screens to slide out. This left the feeder box unsecured while the new screen panels were installed. The accident occurred due to management’s failure to establish policies and procedures for persons to safely remove the old screens and install new screens on the screen tower. The feeder box was not secured in place or blocked against hazardous motion because four of the six retaining nuts and bolts were cut off. After the nuts and bolts were cut off, the feeder box was never resecured and the four nuts and bolts were not replaced. The feeder box hung by the loosened bottom two nuts and bolts. Management also failed to ensure that an examination was conducted of the repairs on the screen. The repairs had been in progress for two days. The unsecured feeder box should have been recognized as a hazard by a work place examiner looking for hazardous conditions. The cut off nuts and bolts allowed the feeder box to move unexpectedly and pin the victim.

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

Activity at time of incident

Observe Operations

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Source of injury

METAL COVERS & GUARDS

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

HEAD,NEC

Total mining experience

11 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

11 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY