First published by MSHA
MINE FATALITY – On December 6, 2021, a miner was fatally injured while he was working in a pan feeder under a chute. While attempting to remove angle iron that blocked the chute’s gate from closing, he was engulfed by material that fell from a surge pile above the chute. The victim died from his injuries on December 10, 2021.

- Do not allow miners to travel on or below material that is on or above the sides of a bin, hopper, or chute.
- Provide mechanical devices or other effective means to protect miners from entrapment by caving material.
- Provide and maintain a safe means of access for all working places.
- De-energize, lock out, tag out, and block machinery or equipment against hazardous motion before performing repairs or maintenance.
- Examine work areas and equipment. Correct defects, or report them to the operator.
- Train miners to perform their assigned tasks safely.
This is the 35th fatality reported in 2021, and the second classified as “Confined Space.”
McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.