Assistant Mine Foreman

Employee pulled aluminum boat over three electric conductors in dredge pond. A patch on the bottom of the boat cut into one conductor and electrocuted the employee. The employee died as a result of the accident.

Kyle Martin, Assistant Plant Manager, age 28, was killed on July 21, 2014, when an aluminum boat he was riding in became stuck in shallow water on top of 480 volt energized power conductors. Martin paddled the boat approximately 300 feet from a dredge operating in a pond to reach the power conductors to move them away from the shoreline. The conductors had been installed from the motor control center along the bank of the pond, in the pond, and then to the dredge. Martin was electrocuted when he got out of the boat and attempted to pull it across the conductors. Sharp edges along the bottom of the aluminum boat penetrated the conductor’s insulation. The accident occurred due to management’s failure to ensure that the individual power conductors supplying power to the dredge were provided with an outer jacket to protect them from mechanical damage exposing miners to an electrical hazard. None of the persons at the mine were trained to perform electrical tasks. Martin had not received task training in the health and safety aspects of the task he was assigned, specifically working near energized conductors.

1. Management failed to ensure that the individual power conductors supplying power to the dredge were provided with an outer jacket to protect them from mechanical damage thereby exposing miners to an electrical hazard.

   Corrective action: Management discontinued using the dredge as a mining method. An open pit excavation system will now be used to mine the material. The dredge and the associated electrical conductors have been removed from service.

2. Management failed to task train any miners, including the victim, to perform electrical tasks.

   Corrective action: Management established safe operating procedures by hiring an electrical contractor trained and experienced in electrical work. All miners are trained on the new safe operating procedures.

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

Activity at time of incident

Barge, Boat, Dredge

Subunit / location

DREDGE

Accident type

Contact with electrical current

Source of injury

CONDCTR,ELCT,CBL,TROL POL

Nature of injury

ELECT SHOCK,ELECTROCUTION

Body part affected

BODY SYSTEMS

Total mining experience

11 years

Experience at this mine

11 years

Experience in this job

1 year

Degree of injury

FATALITY