Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
RECOIL ACCIDENTS
• Two fatal recoil accidents in the past few
years.
• Many fatal accidents and non-fatal injuries
in the past few years as a result of recoil,
rigging, and come-a-long accidents.
• Significant number associated with
longwalls.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
MAINTENANCE
The process of scheduling and
performing preventative
maintenance activities on wire
ropes and chains should be
reviewed-especially in preparation
for a longwall move!
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
F-bar with Guards
Removing Shield from Face
COAL MINE FATALITY – January 3, 2004
A 44-year old longwall shearer operator with 26 years of mining experience was fatally injured while
attempting to advance a longwall shield. The longwall face was being mined through a setup room
containing cementatious "cutable" cribs. These cribs failed, causing many of the shields to fully collapse.
To advance the longwall, chains were attached from the collapsed shields to the panline. Using two
adjacent shields to push the panline, the collapsed shield was pulled forward with the attached chains
and the shield's double-acting ram. Miners were positioned on each of the three affected shields to
manually operate them. During this process, the chain hook broke. The remaining part of the hook and
the chain assembly recoiled, striking the miner operating the collapsed shield in the head.
BEST PRACTICES
• Ensure that chain assemblies (rigging) are rated for the loads
being pulled. Consult the chain manufacturer to determine
chain assembly rated capacities and also required de-ratings
due to the geometry of the final rigging arrangement.
• Ensure persons are positioned in a safe location before
tension is applied when dragging or towing equipment with
chains, wire rope, or any other rigging.
• Ensure that chains and hooks are properly attached or rigged.
• Evaluate pillar strength and design before second mining
areas containing unusual circumstances, such as setup
rooms.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
• Miners must think about how to do the task safely.
• All miners involved must be properly trained.
• Take the necessary time to find and use the correct
tools.
• We must assure that miners are not unfamiliar with the
task, job, or equipment. Persons take on tasks or are
assigned tasks that they are not trained and/or equipped
to perform.
• Supervisors and miners must communicate when there
are near misses. People don’t want others to know
about near misses. They become embarrassed because
they had erred due to inexperience, rushing, use of poor
judgment, or had their thoughts elsewhere. Just
because you didn’t get hurt does not mean that the next
person will be as lucky.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
SLINGS
1. Chain Slings
2. Wire Rope Slings
3. Synthetic Web Slings
THE FIRST ONE I CAN FIND
METHOD
SOMETIMES CHAINS ARE NEEDED TO
ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING QUICKLY,
LIKE TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE OR
DRAGGING SOMETHING OUT OF THE
WAY. WHEN TIME IS A FACTOR,
SELECTION AND INSPECTION ARE
STEPS SOMETIMES EASILY
OVERLOOKED.
USE SLINGS OF
ADEQUATE
AND
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
!
METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY- On April 29, 1998, a 39-year old bull dozer
operator with 15 years of mining experience was fatally injured while attempting to tow a
truck that had become stuck. He backed the dozer to the rear of the truck and attached a
chain. In the process of pulling the truck out, the chain broke and struck the dozer
operator in the temple. He received severe head injuries and died several days later.
COAL MINE FATALITY - September 9, 2003
A 36-year old utility person with 4 years of mining experience was fatally injured at a
surface coal mine. The victim and a co-worker were using two pick-up trucks to assist
moving the power cable for an electric shovel that was being repositioned. One of the
trucks lost traction in a muddy area and a nylon tow rope was attached to a hook on
the truck's front end. The toe rope was then attached to a hook on the back of the
second pick-up. On the first attempt to pull the truck, the metal hook broke loose from
the hitch of the front truck, pierced the windshield of the rear truck and struck the
victim's head.
BEST PRACTICES
• Use only tested and approved mechanisms for pulling or
towing.
• Obtain approval of manufacturer for modifications to original
towing equipment.
• Ensure employees are properly instructed on proper towing
practices.
• Ensure vehicles have sufficient traction for surface conditions.
• Conduct audits (observations) of specific tasks to ensure
proper techniques are employed and tools/materials are
maintained.
• Never exceed the rated capacity of a tow vehicle or towing
equipment.
• Use hands-on training specific to the individual task.
• Communicate & prepare pre-task check of materials and
techniques for every application.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
• Known hazards tend to become routine
which tends to promote complacency.
This complacency may not allow us to
acknowledge the hazards or identify
changes that can affect our safety.
• Supervisors and miners must
observe/evaluate/determine the
assignment in progress.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT:
• WEIGHT OF LOAD
• SHAPE OF LOAD - avoid sharp
edges (use pads)
• HOW TO HOOK UP LOAD - avoid
dragging rigging from under the load
Sling Tags
• Be familiar with manufacturer’s
recommendations for use and
identification methods for rated load
capacity and test dates.
Never overload a sling!
Remember, the wider the sling legs are spread apart, the less
the sling can lift!
1000 lbs Lift Capacity
707 lbs Lift Capacity
500 lbs Lift Capacity
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Reeving through connections to load
increases load on connections fitting
by as much as twice.DO NOT REEVE!
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
NEVER SHOCK LOAD A
SLING!
COAL MINE FATALITY – June 9, 2003
A 49-year old supervisor with 29 years mining experience was fatally injured when he was thrown from
the elevated bucket of a Simon-Telect 42-foot aerial bucket truck. The victim and two other miners were
dismantling a de-energized electrical substation on the surface area of an underground mine. To secure
a steel "I-Beam" structure, a nylon rope was attached between the bucket of the aerial lift and the steel
structure. After the steel structure was disconnected from the substation, the rope broke, causing the
aerial bucket to shift suddenly, throwing the victim out of the bucket. The victim fell 28 feet 11 inches to
the ground. The steel "I-Beam" structure then rolled onto the raised frame of the aerial bucket truck.
BEST PRACTICES
• Use appropriate fall protection, including safety
harnesses and safety lines, where there is a danger of
falling.
• Use equipment for its intended purpose and within the
design specifications of the manufacturer.
• Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment prior to
operation and ensure that outriggers and equipment are
ready for intended use.
• Size ropes/slings for maximum load applications and
protect them from being cut when a load is applied.
• Ensure that all workers are properly trained in the task to
be preformed, such as hoisting, rigging, equipment
design capabilities, etc.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
COAL MINE FATALITY – November 9, 2004
A 55-year-old company president, with 30 years of experience, was fatally injured when he
was crushed between a front end loader and a tractor-trailer truck. The end loader was
being moved into position to allow the victim to connect a steel cable from it to the truck.
The end loader was going to be used to pull the tractor-trailer up the haul road, and was
stopped a short distance from the truck. While the victim was connecting the cable to the
truck, the end loader inadvertently rolled back and crushed him against the truck.
BEST PRACTICES
• Ensure that haulage equipment is compatible with all
conditions and haulage road grades at the site.
• Ensure that vehicles have sufficient traction for surface
conditions.
• Avoid pulling or pushing of vehicles as a routine practice.
• Ensure employees are properly instructed on proper
towing procedures.
• Monitor work habits routinely and examine work areas to
ensure that safe working procedures are being followed.
• Caution miners to avoid the hazards presented by pinch
points.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
CONNECTIONS
The load capacity of the sling is
determined by its weakest component.
Match size and working load limit of
attachments to sling.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY – March 24, 2003
A 46-year-old supervisor with 8 years mining experience was fatally injured on the surface
at an underground stone mine. A crane was lifting steel plates that were to be used as
conveyor belt take-up weights. The victim was positioning the plates when the rigging
failed and the plates crushed him
BEST PRACTICES
• Discuss work procedures and identify all hazards
associated with the work to be performed along with the
methods to properly protect persons.
• Establish safe work procedures that require all personnel
to be positioned where they are not working under
suspended loads.
• Train all personnel in safe work procedures.
• Use rigging that is free of defects and designed to safely
lift the load.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
IMPROPER USE OF
CHAINS
•KNOTTED – loading won’t be along axis
•TWISTED
•BOLTED TOGETHER
METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY – January 13, 2003
A 62-year-old supervisor with 26 years mining experience was fatally injured at a cement plant. The
victim was standing 9 feet above ground level at a door opening discussing the progress of repairs with
another foreman standing outside on a concrete pad at ground level. The victim was leaning on the top
chain handrail that was installed across the door opening. Apparently as the victim exerted outward
pressure against the chain, the chain link slipped off the grab hook attachment on the removable
end of the chain causing him to fall 9 feet to the concrete pad.
BEST PRACTICES
• Ensure that safety chains or handrails are properly
installed, regularly examined and properly maintained,
and are capable of supporting the weight of a person
who might fall or lean on them.
• Design the installation of safety chains to ensure the
termination points remain securely attached when they
are in place.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Wire Rope Clips
RIGHT WAY FOR MAXIMUM ROPE STRENGTH
WRONG WAY: CLIPS STAGGERED
WRONG WAY: CLIPS REVERSED
EXAMINATIONS
Examine sling and anchorage points prior
to each use for damage and wear!
POSSIBLY THE MOST
CRITICAL STEP IS THE
VISUAL INSPECTION OF
RIGGING EQUIPMENT!
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Chain Sling Inspection Items
• Links that are bent,
stretched, cracked, or
gouged.
Bent
Wear and Stretch
Wire Rope Sling Inspection
Items
• Broken wires, kinking
or other distortion,
corrosion, and wear.
REMOVAL CRITERIA:
MORE THAN ONE BROKEN WIRE
AT TERMINATION
Synthetic Sling Inspection
Items
• Melting, cuts, broken
stitching, and
stretching.
BROKEN STITCHING
MELTING AND CHARRING
One manufacturer warns: Strap is permanently
damaged when exposed to temperatures in excess of
200°F. Avoid muffler and hot exhaust systems.
To assist operators in determining if a sling is stretched, many
manufacturers incorporate a red core warning system inside of the
sling. When this red wear cord can be readily seen upon inspecting the
sling, the sling has been stretched and is to be removed
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
BUNCHING
PINCHING
FOLDING, BUNCHING OR PINCHING OF
SYNTHETIC SLINGS WILL REDUCE THE RATED
LOAD
HOOKS
Never use a hook whose throat opening has
been increased, or whose tip has been bent.
Hooks should not be side loaded, back
loaded, or tip loaded.
Side Loaded
Back Loaded
Tip Loaded
• Note: A latch will not work properly on
a hook with a bent or worn tip.
SHACKLES
Angle loads must be applied in the bow.
Many shackles incorporate guide markings
to check the angle of side pull.
METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY – May 15, 2003
A 51-year-old master welder with 30 years mining experience was fatally injured in a shop
at a surface stone mine. The victim was fabricating a screen tower section. Using an
overhead bridge crane, he was positioning the 3-beam, right side component for assembly.
While the victim was standing on the bottom beam, communicating with the crane operator
and positioning a chain sling, the load shifted and fell, crushing him.
BEST PRACTICES
• Discuss work procedures and identify all hazards
associated with the work to be performed along with the
methods to protect personnel.
• Require all personnel to be positioned to prevent them
from being exposed to any hazards.
• Never perform work on or have unstable
structures/fabrications freestanding.
• Secure loads before unhooking them.
• Arrange the rigging to prevent shifting of the load being
lifted. Balance the load by placing the crane or hook
block directly above the load's center of gravity.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Other Suggestions
Use sheave wheels or pads to pull around corners.
Use tow bars when possible.
30 CFR § 77.1607 (u) Tow bars
shall be used to tow heavy
equipment and a safety chain shall
be used in conjunction with each
tow bar.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Equipment with winches should be equipped with
guarding for the operator.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday, September 3, 1999, a preparation plant mechanic
and another employee were using a material hoist to lift a 55 gallon drum to the third floor
of the preparation plant. When the mechanic reached out to guide the suspended drum
to the third floor, a corroded railing gave way and he fell approximately 50 feet to the
ground floor of the preparation plant.
30 CFR § 77.210 (c) Taglines shall be attached to hoisted
materials that require steadying or guidance.
For every 300 near miss accidents, there
will be 29 minor accidents. And for every
29 minor accidents, there will be one
serious accident. If we encourage
people to report near miss accidents, we
can expect minor accidents to be
reduced and possibly the serious
accident will be eliminated.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Non Fatal Accident
CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT BLINDS MAN
A Texas man is a lucky to be alive after a construction accident involving a large hook.
The hook was attached to a backhoe when it hit Gail Cook in the left temple and eye
back in December. X-rays show how it lodged in Cook's head, stopping within millimeters
of his brain. Surgeons in San Antonio were able to remove the hook. But both optic
nerves were severed. The accident has left Cook blind, but also thankful to be alive.
USA, Action News
Non Fatal Accidents
• Employee was removing the wire ropes from the drag drum when a
2 inch nylon sling broke and recoiled striking them in the head,
knocking them unconscious. The wire rope tugger was being used
to pull the rope slack toward the rear of the machine when the nylon
sling appears to have been cut by the threads of an inch and a half
bolt on the drum clamp.
• Three employees were working to pull the tailgate drive back. The
gob plate was attached to the shield with chains. As they started to
pull, one of the chains broke and struck the employee in the face,
causing a fracture to the cheek and a laceration requiring stitches.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Near Miss Accident
• Some information we have on pulling equipment may help
others. We had a coal hauler stuck at the stockpile, we used a
rubber tire dozer and a 2" cable choker 10' long to pull the coal
hauler out. The operator in the coal hauler was accelerating to
assist the rubber tire dozer, as the coal hauler began to move it
suddenly lunged forward. The forward momentum of the coal hauler
allowed it to hit the rear of the rubber tire dozer. When the coal
hauler hit the rubber tire dozer it caused the rubber tire dozer to
lunge forward. The 10' cable choker acted as a large rubber band
allowing the two machines to slam together twice before the
operators could react and get their machines stopped. We now
require a 20' choker to be used when one machine is pulling another
machine. Thus allowing operators more time to react to the
unexpected.
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
CONCLUSIONS
• Maintain Communications!!
• Stay Clear!! All persons MUST be
in a safe location!!
Remember, the longer the sling, the wider the recoil radius!
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
QUESTIONS:
• Do you think that an individual’s actions should
be reviewed in accident investigations?
• Do you think that an individual’s actions are a
common denominator for some of our most
recent accidents?
• If so, how do we fix this?
• How can we motivate people to make the correct
choices?
• Any other comments or suggestions?
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9
Any person with questions, or would like to make additional
comments/suggestions, please contact MSHA’s District 9 office at:
Bob Cornett
Al Davis
Email:
Email:
Cornett.Bob@DOL.GOV
Davis.Allyn@DOL.GOV
Mailing Address: Mine Safety and Health Administration
Coal Mine Safety and Health
P. O. Box 25367 DFC
Denver, CO 80225
Telephone:
Fax:
303-231-5458
303-231-5553
Coal Mine Safety and Health
District 9