Bulldozer Operator

Four employees were installing a steel plate. The plate was 20' wide x 8' high x 1" thick. A small loader put the forks against the plate 5 feet up. The operator re-position the forks 3 feet lower so employee 1 could stand on forks and get a better reach. The plate became unstable and fell on top of employee 1, pinning the employee.

Ronald A. Baughman II, a 29-year-old equipment operator with two years of total mining experience, died on February 27, 2020. While working with other miners to set a steel plate vertically against the frame of a feed hopper, the plate fell on him. The accident occurred because mine management did not follow their procedure for securing the steel plate prior to removing the rigging.

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

Activity at time of incident

Handling Supplies Or Material

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Struck by falling object

Source of injury

METAL COVERS & GUARDS

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

1 year

Experience at this mine

1 year

Experience in this job

1 year

Degree of injury

FATALITY