Bulldozer Operator

Miners were removing a counterweight from an excavator, standing side-by-side, when the counter-weight dropped unexpectedly to the ground.The victim stumbled backwards,fell landed on the back of his head on the shop floor. He was unresponsive during CPR. The autopsy report concludes the proximate cause of death as"commotio cerebri"noting also cardiac arrest.

On April 11, 2012, James T. McNeill, Equipment Operator, age 48, was injured when the counterweight from an excavator fell and struck him. McNeill and Randy White, Plant Manager, were removing bolts from the counterweight in preparation to move the excavator to another mine site. Following the removal of the last of six bolts, the counterweight dropped to the ground. The victim was hospitalized and died on April 12, 2012, as a result of his injuries. The excavator was purchased about four to five weeks prior to the accident. On the day of the accident, it was to be transported to another mine, owned by the same operator. Due to weight restrictions on the highways, the counterweight had to be removed prior to shipping. The excavator was purchased with an optional hydraulic assist cylinder that allows the counterweight to be removed and reassembled easily and safely. The accident occurred due to management's failure to follow the manufacturer's procedures for removing the counterweight from the excavator. The excavator was equipped with a hydraulic system that secures and lowers the heavy counterweight to the ground safely; however, this system was not used on the day of the accident. Raised components were not secured to prevent accidental lowering when persons were working on or around mobile equipment and exposed to the hazards of accidental lowering of the component. The victim did not receive task training regarding the procedures to be followed in the health and safety aspects of the task before performing the new task.

1. Management did not follow the manufacturer’s procedures for removing the counterweight from the excavator. Raised components were not secured to prevent accidental lowering when persons were working on or around mobile equipment and exposed to the hazards of accidental lowering of the component. The victim did not receive task training regarding the procedures to be followed in the health and safety aspects of the new task before performing the new task.

   Corrective action: Management established procedures and controls to ensure persons can remove a counterweight from an excavator safely. The procedures include following the manufacturer’s procedures when removing a counterweight. The mine operator will provide adequate task training in the health and safety aspects of the task to all miners before performing any new task.

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

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Source of injury

FLOOR,WALKING SURF-NOT UG

Nature of injury

CEREBRAL HEMORAGE-NT CCUS

Body part affected

BRAIN

Total mining experience

8 years

Experience at this mine

8 years

Experience in this job

8 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY