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Department of Labor
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Accident Info-Gram
JULY 2002
Shuttle Car Strikes Miner
On July 22, 2002, a shuttle car struck a mine repairman's
handcart at an underground mine in District 8. The repairman had
pulled a splice handcart to the location of a recently damaged
roof-bolter trailing cable. Thinking the route of both section
shuttle cars had changed, the repairman did not expect equipment
to travel in this area. As the repairman bent over to attach
torch hoses to a small propane tank, a shuttle car came around
the coal pillar and struck the handcart. Subsequently, the
handcart hit the repairman. The repairman yelled, and the
shuttle-car operator immediately stopped his shuttle car. Because
of the coal pillar and the operator's location on the shuttle
car, the shuttle-car operator was not able to see the repairman.
Additionally, the repairman did not see the shuttle car until it
was approximately three feet away. Contusions were the
repairman's only injuries. Investigators found that the haulage
route of just one of the two section shuttle cars had recently
changed.
BEST PRACTICES
- When performing repair work, maintenance personnel should
place warning devices at the approaches to work areas.
- When section haulage routes are changed, section foreman
should notify all personnel on the section.
- When approaching tight turns where visibility is limited,
equipment operators should sound warning devices.
- When operating haulage equipment, equipment operators should
energize the lights in the direction of travel.
This information was provided by concerned
miners in an effort to eliminate accidents. Accident or "close
call" information within District 8 may be shared by contacting
the MSHA office at (812) 882-7617.
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