Mobile Equipment Hazards

Machinery, equipment, and tools

30 CFR § 56.14205

Machinery, equipment, and tools shall not be used beyond the design capacity intended by the

manufacturer where such use may create a hazard to persons.

Warnings prior to starting or moving equipment

30 CFR § 56.14200

Before starting crushers or moving self-propelled mobile equipment, equipment operators shall

sound a warning that is audible above the surrounding noise level or use other effective

means to warn all persons who could be exposed to a hazard from the equipment.

Safety defects; examination, correction and records

30 CFR § 56.14100

(a) Self-propelled mobile equipment to be used during a shift shall be inspected by the equipment operator before being placed in operation on that

shift.(b) Defects on any equipment, machinery, and tools

that affect safety shall be corrected in a timely manner to prevent the creation of a hazard to

persons.

Safety defects; examination, correction and records

30 CFR § 56.14100

(c) When defects make continued operation hazardous to persons, the defective items including self-propelled mobile equipment shall be taken out of service and placed in a designated area posted

for that purpose, or a tag or other effective method of marking the defective items shall be used to

prohibit further use until the defects are corrected.

Safety defects; examination, correction and records

30 CFR § 56.14100

(d) Defects on self-propelled mobile equipment affecting safety, which are not corrected

immediately, shall be reported to and recorded by the mine operator. The records shall be kept at the

mine or nearest mine office from the date the defects are recorded, until the defects are

corrected. Such records shall be made available for inspection by an authorized representative of the

Secretary.

Defective stairways, platforms, doors and runways

Insufficient lighting in any area where miners work or travel.

Any mobile equipment in use which has not been inspected by the operator for safety defects.

October 14, 2002, a 25-year-old front-end loader operator, with 3 months mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim parked his loader near the toe of a 33 foot highwall and left the operator's cab when material sloughed off the highwall and buried him.

October 21, 2002, a 48-year-old equipment operator with 11 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was operating a front-end loader feeding a power screen plant when he backed one of the wheels over a drop-off. The loader, which was not provided with a ROPS cab, rolled over, crushing the victim.

December 9, 2002, a 47-year-old truck driver with 1 year10 months mining experience was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim was in the process of removing a 12 foot long section of a walkway attached to a portable inclined conveyor. As he was cutting a metal attachment using an acetylene torch, the section of walkway collapsed on him.

April 24, 2002, a 22-year-old mechanic with five months mining experience was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim was conducting a performance test on the parking brake. He drove the loader up a 16 percent ramp when it stopped, rolled backwards and struck the edge of a waste pile. The loader rolled on its side and the victim, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown out of the cab.

October 12, 2002, a 52-year-old co-owner of a sand and gravel operation was fatally injured. The victim accompanied her husband to the mine to assist in setting up a new weighing facility while he used a front-end loader to fill in dirt around the newly installed truck scales. Apparently the victim inadvertently walked into the path of the loader as it was backing.

February 8, 2000, a 60-year-old mine foreman with 23 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim, who was scurrying to move his pick-up truck out of the way, was run over by a scraper as it was backing up.

Do NOT operate or continue to operate any equipment if:

The seat belt is defective.The service brakes can’t stop it on grades.

Any guards are missing.The air compressor doesn’t keep up.

The engine stalls for no reason.The accelerator or hydraulic controls are not

completely free.Visibility decreases - lights quit, windows

cracked, dense fog etc.

Mounting/Dismounting Machinery

3 Point Contact Rule Noisy Environments Uneven Floor or Footing Anticipation of Motion Hydraulic Systems Maintaining Pressure Slick Surfaces Equipment Fatigue Complacency

Questions or Comments?