UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
South Central District
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REPORT
UNDERGROUND NONMETAL MINE
[POTASH]
FATAL ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
Hobbs Potash Facility, ID No. 29-00170
New Mexico Potash Corporation
Hobbs, Lea County, New Mexico
September 7, 1995
By
Ronald M. Mesa
Special Investigator
Henry J. Mall
Metal and Nonmetal Mine Inspector
South Central District Office
1100 Commerce Street, Room 4C50
Dallas, Texas 75242-0499
Doyle D. Fink
District Manager
GENERAL INFORMATION
James M. Buffington, underground maintenance mechanic, age 28,
was fatally injured about 1:00 p.m. on September 7, 1995, when he
contacted the bare conductor of an energized, 480 volt, power
cable while removing the cable from an intake face fan.
Buffington had two years, ten months total mining experience, all
at this mine as an underground maintenance mechanic.
The Hobbs Potash Facility was located approximately 31 miles
north east of Carlsbad, New Mexico. The mine began producing
potash ore in 1965. Continuous miners cut the ore from the
underground room and pillar workings at depths ranging from 800
to 2200 feet within the mine. The mined material was
transported to the surface, crushed, leached, crystallized, and
sized. The finished product, potassium chloride and muriate of
potash, was shipped to agricultural and industrial users all over
the world. An average of 11,000 tons of raw ore was produced
every day by 140 employees working two 12-hour shifts a day,
seven days a week.
Operating officials were:
Melvin Pyeatt..........Vice President of Operations
Curtis Davidson.......Safety Manager
Duane Morris...........Underground Safety Supervisor
Underground Safety Supervisor Duane Morris notified Supervisor
Jerry Millard, Carlsbad MSHA field office, of the accident at
approximately 2:45 p.m. on September 7, 1995. An investigation
was started on the same day.
Mine employees were not represented by a union.
The mine had an approved MSHA 30 CFR Part 48 Training Plan which
was last revised in March 1983. Company records indicated that
Mr. Buffington had received all the required MSHA training.
Information for this report was obtained by interviewing company
officials and employees during the on-site investigation. The
last regular inspection was conducted on June 6, 1995.
PHYSICAL FACTORS INVOLVED
The accident occurred underground in a face entry of Area 289.
This area of the mine was very wet and muddy. The roof was fifty
four inches high and 23 feet wide.
Electrical power was supplied to Area 289 by a 4160 volt, 2/0
shielded, power cable which fed into the No. 2, 400 KVA, 4160/480
volt power center. The power center fed the continuous miner,
intake and exhaust fans, and the panel conveyor belts. The power
center was approximately 75 feet from the intake face fan. The
No. 2 power center transformer output was wye-connected and
resistance grounded with a 50-ohm resistor. This connection
created a 480\277 volt output with fault current,
phase-to-ground, limited to 5.5 amperes. The power center was
equipped with a Gulton type, Femco GM 1000 ground Sentinel II
Monitor which monitors equipment grounding conductors.
The power cable involved in the accident was connected to circuit
No. 6 on the No. 2 power center. The cable was a 4 conductor,
size 10 AWG, type SOW, 90C rated cable, manufactured by AIW
Corporation. It was approximately 175 feet in length and
provided the 480 volt three-phase electrical power to the intake
face fan. A male Joy flat type nip was spliced on one end of the
power cable and connected to circuit No. 6 at the No. 2 power
center. A female Joy flat type nip was spliced to the other end
of the power cable and plugged into a male connector mounted on
the intake face fan. The only splices in the cable were the male
and female Joy nips and they were in good condition. The power
cable was damaged 2- feet from the female nip exposing bare
copper of the white phase conductor through a 1 inch long cut in
the cable jacket. The insulation between the white phase
conductor and the equipment ground conductor within the cable was
intact.
Circuit No. 6 was equipped with a 3-phase, 600-volt rated,
circuit breaker. The breaker was a Westinghouse, style #4975
D71G40, 50-ampere rated with shunt trip, which provided for short
circuit and ground fault protection.
At the time of the accident, the maintenance crew was preparing
to weld on the Air-Dock haulage system in Area 289. The welding
machine had been moved into the area. Buffington was removing
the 480 volt power cable from the intake face fan so that power
could be supplied to the welding machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCIDENT
On the day of the accident, James Buffington, maintenance
mechanic, was assigned to perform maintenance in Area 289.
Buffington reported to work at his normal 7:00 a.m. starting
time. Work progressed normally without any problems. At
approximately 12:20 p.m. Curtis Pratt, supervisor of the
maintenance called Maintenance Mechanic Eugene Galvan, who was
working in Area 290, and instructed him to proceed to Area 289 to
assist with rewelding a cable tray onto the Air-Dock Haulage
system. Galvan and Jerry Cartwright, maintenance mechanic,
proceeded to Area 289 arriving at approximately 12:30 p.m. where
they found Buffington and the welding machine already set up next
to the Air-Dock haulage system. Galvan asked Buffington to
retrieve some timbers to hold up the cable tray while it was
being welded. Although Buffington was tired, he retrieved the
timbers and then took his lunch break.
Buffington sat in his vehicle during lunch as Galvan laid out the
welding leads. As Galvan walked passed Buffington with the
leads, Buffington asked him if he was going to need power for the
welder. Galvan said, "yes". At approximately 12:50 p.m.,
Buffington left the vehicle and walked over to the intake face
fan to disconnect the 480 volt power cable and reconnect it to
the welder. At that time, Galvan was proceeding to the welder
with his back to the Buffington.
Galvan heard Buffington emit a "yell" and immediately turned and
ran to him. He found Buffington standing, holding the power
cable with both hands, obviously receiving a severe electrical
shock. Galvan ran to the power center to turn off the circuit
breaker to the intake face fan. When he arrived at the power
center he met Face Boss Lupe Rodriquez. Together they turned off
all the breakers and ran back to help Buffington.
When they arrived back at the face fan, they found Buffington
lying on the ground. Rodriquez removed the power cable from
Buffington's hands. Buffington's vital signs were weak to
intermittent so the two men started cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR). Rodriquez called to Julie Nelson in the near by lunch
room and instructed her to call for help. CPR was continued
during Buffington's extraction from the mine. He reached the
surface at 2:12 p.m. and was transported to Guadalupe Medical
Center in Carlsbad, New Mexico, where he was pronounced dead as a
result of electrocution at 3:33 p.m.
CONCLUSION
The primary cause of the accident was the failure to de-energize
the damaged, 480 volt, power cable before grasping it and
attempting to disconnect it from the intake face fan. A
contributing factor was the failure to use suitable protection
for persons while handling the damaged energized power cable.
VIOLATIONS
Order Number 4447562, 103(k), issued September 7, 1995, 1630
hours:
This order is issued to restrict use of any of the electrical
components in Area 289 until MSHA can determine if they are safe
to use by other miners.
This order was terminated on September 7, 1995. All the
electrical equipment involved in the accident was removed from
Area 289.
Citation Number 4447563, was issued under the provision of
Section 104(a), for a violation of 30 CFR 57.12014:
A miner was fatally electrocuted when he was attempting to remove
an energized 480 volt power cable from the intake face fan. The
insulation had a break in it exposing the conductors. The miner
made contact with the exposed conductor causing his
electrocution. The miner was not using any suitable protective
devices when he handled the power cable. The intake face fan was
located in Area 289. This citation was terminated on September
14, 1995. The requirements of the standard were discussed with
all the employees and company officials. All the employees were
instructed in the proper procedures for handling power cables.
Citation Number 4330836, was issued under the provision of
Section 104(a)for a violation of 30 CFR 57.12004:
The 4/Conductor type S0W-A-90C 480 volt, 3 phase power cable was
damaged exposing a bare copper conductor through the outer rubber
covered jacket. A miner was electrocuted when he came in contact
with the exposed bare copper conductor. The power cable was
energized and was providing power to the intake face fan in Area
289.
This citation was terminated on September 11, 1995. The power
cable was removed from Area 289 and taken out of service.
Respectfully submitted by:
/s/ Ronald M. Mesa
Special Investigator
/s/ Henry J. Mall
Metal and Nonmetal Mine Inspector
Approved by:
Doyle D. Fink
District Manager
Related Fatal Alert Bulletin: [FAB95M29]
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