Electrician

On June 23, 2018 at approximately 9:20 am an employee mounted a pair of slow moving rail cars to apply the brakes. The employee fell and was struck by the pair of freewheeling hopper rail cars. The employee was fatally injured because of the fall and being struck by the moving rail cars.

Rodney Fernandez, a 46-year-old electrician, died on June 23, 2018, while trying to stop runaway railcars. The victim climbed on a set of moving railcars to set the manual handbrake. After setting the manual handbrake, according to witnesses, the victim either jumped or slipped from the moving railcars and was struck. The accident occurred because the mine operator: Did not ensure that the manual handbrakes or air brakes were set on the two railcars before uncoupling and moving the train. Did not provide new task training to the victim for performing this type of work.

1. The accident occurred because the operator did not block or set the manual handbrakes to prevent uncontrolled movement of the two railcars.

   Corrective action: The operator will retrain miners on its policy for blocking or setting manual handbrakes on railcars to prevent their movement prior to being uncoupled.

2. The operator did not ensure the victim received new task training for work that he had no previous experience performing.

   Corrective action: The operator will provide new task training to miners who are assigned to a task in which they have no previous experience.

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

Activity at time of incident

Spot Rail Cars, Trip Riding

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

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

Source of injury

STD G RAIL CR,MTR-SURF EQ

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

0 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY