Crusher Attendant/Operator fatality at Sevierville Quarry (Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC), TN, January 4, 2023

Employee was assisting repair/replace toggle plate and toggle plate bearings on the jaw crusher when they suffered a pinning type injury.

On January 4, 2023, at 2:45 p.m., John Ogle, a 28 year-old plant operator with approximately two years of mining experience, was fatally injured when the swing jaw of the primary jaw crusher (crusher) moved as he was performing maintenance, pinning him between the back side of the swing jaw and toggle block frame. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) block moveable parts of the crusher against hazardous motion, 2) provide adequate task training for maintenance work on the crusher, and 3) conduct an adequate workplace examination of the work area.

1. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not block moveable parts of the crusher against hazardous motion.

   Corrective action: The mine operator revised and implemented a written procedure for blocking machinery against hazardous motion to comprehensively address stored energy. The mine operator trained all miners on the procedure.

2. The mine operator did not provide adequate new task training for maintenance work on the crusher.

   Corrective action: The mine operator revised their training plan to include comprehensive safety procedures for maintenance work. The plan includes task training, proper crusher examination, correction of any hazards prior to starting work, and blocking of all energy sources. The mine operator trained all miners on the revised procedures.

3. The mine operator did not conduct an adequate workplace examination.

   Corrective action: The mine operator developed and implemented a new written procedure for workplace examination to ensure that miners identify, correct, and report hazardous conditions. The mine operator trained all miners on the new procedure.

Read the full report (PDF)

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

Activity at time of incident

Machine Maintenance

Subunit / location

MILL OPERATION/PREPARATION PLANT

Accident type

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

Source of injury

MACHINE-MILL,CLEANING PLT

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

TRUNK, MULTIPLE PARTS

Total mining experience

1 year

Experience at this mine

1 year

Experience in this job

1 year

Degree of injury

FATALITY

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