Bulldozer Operator

The victim was operating an excavator near a canal when the excavator tipped on its side and went in the water. The victim was able to get out of the cab and transported to a hospital where he died at 5:45 p.m.

William K. Stormant, Heavy Equipment Operator, age 57, was seriously injured on January 26, 2015. Stormant was operating an excavator near a water-filled ditch when the excavator tipped on its side and entered the murky water, trapping him inside the nearly submerged cab. Rescuers removed Stormant from the water-filled cab. Stormant was transported to a hospital where he died later that day. Three days prior to the accident several inches of rain fell in the area, causing the ditch to fill with water and overflow. This water covered the ditch making it invisible to persons working in the area. Stormant was operating the excavator near this ditch when the accident occurred. The accident occurred due to management’s failure to ensure that procedures were established to ensure miners could safely prepare a work area in advance of a dragline. Management failed to ensure competent persons were properly conducting workplace examinations. The water-filled ditch was not identified as a hazard after the heavy rainfall and management failed to barricade or place warning signs to warn employees of hazards, such as the water-filled ditch, that were not immediately obvious to miners.

1. Management failed to establish policies and procedures to ensure competent persons were properly conducting workplace examinations so miners could safely prepare a work area in advance of a dragline. Stormant was operating an excavator near a water-filled ditch that was not identified as a hazard after the heavy rainfall three days prior to the accident.

   Corrective action: Management established policies and procedures to ensure that competent persons conduct workplace examinations before persons on the dragline support crew conduct any work. Training on the new policies and procedures was provided for all competent persons to conduct workplace examinations and to take corrective actions if needed.

2. Management failed to establish policies and procedures to ensure that barricades or warning signs were placed to warn employees of hazards, such as the water-filled ditch, that are not immediately obvious to miners.

   Corrective action: Management established policies and procedures to ensure that barricades or warning signs are placed to warn employees of hazards, such as the water-filled ditch, that are not immediately obvious to miners. All miners were trained regarding these policies and procedures.

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

Activity at time of incident

Power Shovel, Dragline

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Drowning

Source of injury

WATER

Nature of injury

SUFFOC,SMOK INHILAT,DROWN

Body part affected

BODY SYSTEMS

Total mining experience

35 years

Experience at this mine

34 years

Experience in this job

34 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY