Quality Control Technician

FELL INTO LIME BIN.

Michael L. Griffith, a 30-year-old Truck Driver/Quality Control Person with one year and eight months of total mining experience, died on January 8, 2020. Griffith died when he fell into a lime surge hopper and became engulfed by the material. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: (1) provide a suitable walkway at the rim of the lime surge hopper; (2) ensure that the walkway at the rim of the lime surge hopper was examined by a competent person for conditions that may adversely affect safety before work was performed from the walkway; and (3) have polices/procedures on task training employees on safety hazards encountered when walking and working on walkways around hoppers.

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 lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Source of injury

STORAGE TANKS AND BINS

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

1 year

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY