Miner

APPROXIMATELY 1:35 PM ON 12/06/2022, EE WAS FOUND ON THE GROUND AFTER BEING STRUCK BY REAR OPPOSITE OPERATOR SIDE TIRE. INVESTIGATION IN ONGOING AT THIS TIME.

On December 6, 2022, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Hagen Barton, a 41 year-old charger tractor operator with over 16 years of experience, died when the charger tractor he was operating struck a pillar, causing him to be thrown from the charger tractor and crushed by its rear tire. Barton was returning the charger tractor to the main powder magazine area when the accident occurred. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) ensure the charger tractor operator maintained control of the charger tractor, and 2) enforce their policy requiring miners to wear seat belts while operating mobile equipment.

1. The mine operator did not ensure that the charger tractor operator maintained control of the charger tractor.

   Corrective action: The mine operator set up a training area on the surface of the mine to train new miners on mobile equipment prior to entering the underground portion of the mine. The mine operator retrained all experienced charger tractor operators on mobile equipment and safe operating habits.

2. The mine operator did not enforce their policy requiring miners to wear seat belts while operating mobile equipment.

   Corrective action: The mine operator held safety meetings with all miners to retrain them on policies and requirements regarding seat belt use, equipment pre-operational inspections, and workplace examinations. Additionally, the mine operator inspected the seat belts on all mobile equipment for excessive wear and other damage.

Read the full report (PDF)

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

Activity at time of incident

Load-Haul-Dump (Ug)

Subunit / location

UNDERGROUND

Underground location

VERTICAL SHAFT

Mining method

Conventional Stoping

Accident type

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

Source of injury

MINE JEEP,KERSEY,JITNEY

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

16 years

Experience at this mine

15 years

Experience in this job

11 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY