Mine Manager

Victim was clearing brush with the excavator near pond and the bank appears to have given away causing the excavator to fall into the water and become totally submerged. It is not known if victim drowned or was fatally injured in the accident. We are uncertain of the exact time of the accident. The accident occurred between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

On March 5, 2021, Roger (Dale) Branscum, a 63-year-old mine manager with over 43 years of mining experience, died when the excavator he was operating rolled over into a body of water. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) provide berms or guardrails on the edge of the elevated roadway where a drop-off hazard existed; and 2) have written policies and procedures to assure that miners perform a workplace examination to identify and correct hazardous ground conditions prior to performing work on the elevated roadway.

1. The mine operator did not provide berms or guardrails on the elevated roadway where a drop off hazard existed.

   Corrective action: The mine operator has installed earthen berm barriers at both entrances to the pond to prevent vehicle access to the elevated roadway along the pond’s perimeter from the mine site. The mine operator will develop and provide MSHA with a plan that will assure the safety of drivers and vehicles on the elevated roadway before any vehicle is allowed to travel on the elevated roadway, and will train miners in that plan.

2. The mine operator did not have policies and procedures in place to assure that miners conduct a workplace examination to identify and correct hazardous ground conditions before work commenced along the elevated roadway. The mine operator allowed miners to perform work and travel in the area despite the existence of conditions that adversely affected safety.

   Corrective action: The mine operator developed written policies and procedures to assure work place examinations are conducted in accordance with 56.18002. The company has trained all management and miners in those policies and procedures.

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

Activity at time of incident

Power Shovel, Dragline

Subunit / location

DREDGE

Accident type

Struck against a moving object

Source of injury

SURFACE MINING MACHINES

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

43 years

Experience at this mine

43 years

Experience in this job

32 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY