Maintenance Man

A Millwright drove the pins out of a 200-ton crane boom to change out a section and the boom fell on employee.

On July 21, 2021, at approximately 11:45 a.m., Jeffrey Wendland, a 31 year-old millwright with over 13 years of experience, died when a crane boom struck him, while he was working under it. The victim removed the last pin from the bottom boom, causing the boom to fall, and pinning him underneath the steel cross brace. The fatality occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) make sure that the equipment was blocked against motion before performing work underneath the equipment, and 2) task train miners to properly change boom extensions.

1. The mine operator did not make sure that miners blocked the equipment against motion before performing work underneath the equipment.

   Corrective action: The mine operator modified the current written procedure to assure that miners block equipment against hazardous motion before performing work underneath the equipment. The mine operator trained all miners on the revised procedure.

2. The mine operator did not task train miners to properly change boom extensions.

   Corrective action: The mine operator developed new written procedures that incorporate job safety analysis and include a procedural check sheet to use prior to performing the task of changing the boom extensions on their cranes. The procedural check sheet includes reviewing and understanding the crane manufacturer’s manual. The mine operator trained all miners on these procedures.

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

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Struck by falling object

Source of injury

CRANES,DERRICKS

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

13 years

Experience at this mine

13 years

Experience in this job

13 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY