Fatal incident at Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc., AZ, March 1, 1989

at 3:00 PM

On March 1, 1989, a worker was fatally injured in a handling of materials accident at Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc., AZ.

Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc. · Surface · Metal/Non-Metal

Operator: Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc. (Phelps Dodge Corp)

Contractor on site: LU0

Greenlee County, AZ

Classification HANDLING OF MATERIALS

Type Struck by rolling or sliding object

Investigator narrative

UNLOADING PIPE FROM TRUCK. TRYING TO LEVERAGE LENGTH OF PIPE OFF THE TRAILER ONTO THE FORKLIFT. ALMOST HAD PIPE ON FORKLIFT WHEN IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACK TO DECEASED.

Record details

Activity at time of incident: Handling Supplies Or Material
Subunit / location: STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT
Accident type: Struck by rolling or sliding object
Source of injury: METAL,(Not Elsewhere Classified)(PIPE,WIRE,NAIL)
Nature of injury: CRUSHING
Body part affected: MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)
Experience at this mine: 0 years
Degree of injury: FATALITY

Related fatalities

Same operator

July 6, 2026 · Haul/Off Road/Coal/Ore/Pit/Quarry/Rock/Rubber Tire Truck Driver · Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc., AZ
January 28, 2022 · Haul/Off Road/Coal/Ore/Pit/Quarry/Rock/Rubber Tire Truck Driver · Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc., AZ
September 15, 2021 · Welder (Non-Shop) · Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc., AZ
September 1, 2008 · Warehouseman · Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc., AZ
December 20, 2002 · Warehouseman · Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc., AZ

Same classification

September 3, 2026 · Welder (Non-Shop) · KG Mining (Bald Mountain) Inc., NV
September 3, 2026 · Prep Plant Foreman · KG Mining (Bald Mountain) Inc., NV
November 22, 2025 · Dryer Operator · United Salt Carlsbad LLC, NM
November 17, 2023 · Maintenance Man · Eden Stone Co., LLC, WI
October 1, 2021 · Warehouseman · Dennis Ovyn Trucking Inc, WI

Same year

December 20, 1989 · Haul/Off Road/Coal/Ore/Pit/Quarry/Rock/Rubber Tire Truck Driver · South Fork Energy Company, VA
December 19, 1989 · Haul/Off Road/Coal/Ore/Pit/Quarry/Rock/Rubber Tire Truck Driver · Koch Carbon Inc, KY
December 13, 1989 · Roof Bolter · Shelcha Coal Corp, KY
December 9, 1989 · Maintenance Man · Blue Diamond Coal Company, KY
December 7, 1989 · Roof Bolter · Eastern Mingo Coal Company, WV

Verify on MSHA

Every record on this page mirrors what MSHA publishes under its Open Government Data program, refreshed weekly. MSHA does not publish per-accident URLs (the Accidents data is distributed as a single bulk file), so this is how to retrieve the source for the specific record below:

Accident record: Download MSHA Accidents.zip then search for Document number 219891210394 (the unique key per MSHA Form 7000-1)
Mine record: MSHA Mine Data Retrieval System and search by Mine ID 0200024
All MSHA datasets: Open Government Data program directory covering Accident, Mines, Inspections, Violations, etc.

Source: US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) · Document 219891210394 · Mine ID 0200024 Trainer view →