Drill Operator

The driller apparently attempted to load drill pipe into the carousel while the drill head was rotating. It appears a strap the driller was holding became entangled around the drill pipe after the drill pipe threaded into the drill head and rotated.

Stephen J. Wickham, Contract Driller, age 30, was killed on November 1, 2012. Wickham was attempting to manually load a threaded drill steel into the mast of a crawler drilling machine by engaging it with the rotating drill head when he became entangled in the rotating drill steel. The accident occurred due to contract management's failure to implement policies and procedures to ensure that drillers stayed clear of a rotating drill steel, specifically while performing drill steel loading operations. Wickham had approximately six months of drilling experience and did not receive effective task training addressing the safe work procedures for loading a drill steel and the potential hazards associated with the task. Additionally, Wickham was assigned to perform work alone where hazardous conditions existed and he could not communicate with others, be heard, or be seen.

1. The victim did not receive effective task training regarding procedures to safely load drill steels. Contract management policies and procedures failed to ensure that drillers stayed clear of a rotating drill steel, specifically while performing drill steel loading operations.

   Corrective action: Contract management established written policies and safe work procedures to ensure that drillers stayed clear of rotating drill steels during drill steel loading operations. These new procedures incorporate the manufacturer's recommendations for loading drill steels and require a minimum of two properly trained persons to perform the task. All persons were provided task training regarding the new policies.

2. Contract management required drillers to work alone where hazardous conditions existed and they could not communicate with others, could not be heard, or could not be seen while working in the quarry.

   Corrective action: Contract management implemented safe work procedures for loading drill steels which incorporate the manufacturer's recommendations for loading drill steels and require a minimum of two properly trained persons to perform the task. All persons were provided task training regarding the new procedures. In addition, the mine operator has implemented policies and procedures for management personnel to provide increased oversight of contractors working at the site.

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

Activity at time of incident

Surface Equipment, Nec

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Source of injury

SURFACE MINING MACHINES

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

6 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY