LOST TIME INJURY REVIEW AND DISCUSSION

15 July, 2014: At approx. 11:45 hrs the crew was just

finishing up in the TM 850 D3 East Sill and preparing to

screen the face. The crew utilized a scissor lift to install the

ground support on this particular day and everything was

progressing fine. During the process the Front Line

Supervisor and the Safety Coordinator visited the heading

and ground support was being installed above and beyond

the required standard. Due to talc conditions in the

heading, the crew opted to extend the screen further down

the right wall than was required by the print and rebar was

being used to pin the screen on the walls as opposed to

split sets.

LOST TIME INJURY CONT.

Before they could install the screen on the face, a

hydraulic hose broke underneath the deck near the rear

axle and they were unable to continue.

A mechanic was called to the site and climbed under the

unit to further assess the situation. He discovered that

there were several rocks on top of the rear axle and tried

to remove them by hand, but they were too big and

awkward. The deck was fully lowered at the time and

attempts to raise it were unsuccessful because the deck

got hung up on the rear corner of the back wall and could

not be fully raised.

LOST TIME INJURY CONT.

The deck was then side shifted to the right and when raised,

the railing caught the wall near the shoulder of the drift at the

back corner. The bolter attempted to side shift the platform to

the left in order to clear the wall, but the Victaulic clamp on

the bull hose was catching the ladder, preventing the deck

from being side shifted to the left. The intention at this time

was to raise the deck high enough to install the safety pins for

the platform. The unit was then shut down because of

continual oil loss through the broken hose.

The mechanic then tried to remove the rocks using a scaling

bar from the left side of the deck, the injured worker asked

for a scaling bar from the bolter on the deck and proceeded

down the right wall towards the face.

LOST TIME INJURY CONT.

The bolter saw the face start to fail and hollered a warning,

the mechanic immediately retreated away from the face and

heard the injured worker yell. Loose had fell from the face

struck the worker on the head and shoulder and pushed him

into the back of the deck. The bolter proceeded around the

right side of the deck and he got as far as the rear wheel

where he could see the injured worker crawling out along the

right side of the wall.

The bolter and mechanic loaded the injured worker in a

Toyota and brought him to surface where he was transported

to hospital for treatment.

INJURIES

• 17 stitches to close wound in the back of his head

• 16 stitches to close puncture wounds on his neck and

shoulder

• 12 broken ribs, front and back

• Left punctured lung and right collapsed lung requiring drain

tubes

• 2 broken vertebrae in lower back (Transverse Processes

which are the small tabs on the vertebrae)

10 days in Sudbury hospital, 6 in ICU

Still not fully recovered and is on modified duties but making

steady progress to a full recovery and returning to full duties.

*Shared with Permission

LOST TIME INJURY INVESTIGATION

Underlying Causes: Failure to secure and make safe,

Improper position for the task, poor judgment,

preoccupation or frustration, failure to warn, improper

attempt to save time, ground conditions.

Remedial Action: The accident was reviewed with all U/G

crews at both sites stressing the importance of not

exposing yourself to unsupported ground. The heading was

shut down pending an investigation. The MOL attended

the scene on July 18th. It was reinforced with the crews

that working safely, takes precedence over production.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Crews are to notify their Supervisor when equipment break downs

occur. In areas where adequate ground control has not been completed

or other hazards exist, the equipment shall be moved to a safe location.

Where the equipment cannot readily be moved, the Supervisor will

provide written instructions on the Zero Harm Safety Card. A SOP will be

developed to provide guidelines and will require Supervisory notification

by the crew.

2. A mechanic servicing equipment in the field is to ensure that a

production supervisor has been contacted and additional written

instructions have been given (indicated on the Zero Harm Safety Cards)

for work on equipment in areas where adequate ground control has not

been completed or other hazards exist. If additional written instructions

have not been given he is to ensure that the production supervisor has

been contacted. This will also be included in the SOP referred to in the

previous recommendation.

RECOMMENDATIONS

3. The accident is to be included in the U0028 Scissor Lift training

module. Precautions to be taken when repairs and maintenance on

equipment in hazardous locations will be reviewed with all new trainees.

4. This accident will be presented at the next Porcupine Northeastern

Ontario Mines Safety Group meeting in October.

5. The Maintenance group will examine the scissor decks to determine

what can be done to re-route or protect the hydraulic hoses under the

deck from being broken. Re-routing, guarding and sourcing a better

quality hose are some of the options.

RECOMMENDATIONS

6. The policy with respect to unsupported ground is being reviewed with

each crew and this accident will be reviewed in more detail at the

August Safety meetings. At the meetings the crews will be asked what

they would have done in the same situation, what lessons were learned

and what they will do to prevent a recurrence.

7. The McLean bolter was being utilized in this heading prior to the date

of the accident. The McLean was down, so the crew opted to use the x-

lift. Review with crews the non-routine hazardous task process (in the

event it has to be applied) or additional written instructions from their

supervisors on the Zero Harm Safety Cards when conditions in the

workplace change (management of change). The deck was fine to use,

but when the hose broke, the process "fell apart".

HOW TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE

• Review with crews the importance of hazard recognition with respect

to face and wall conditions in large development headings.

• When the things change in the work area (equipment failures, damage

etc..) the focus must remained on the hazards and not be focused

solely on the task at hand.

• Review policy with respect to unsupported ground: At no time is a

worker to work or go under unsupported ground, caution must also be

taken with an unsupported face or wall.

• The mining culture of “get the job done” by accepting undo risks must

be curtailed, employees must never place themselves in a position of

risk for the sake of production.

• The effects of an injury is far reaching, there is pain and suffering of

the injured worker, but friends, family and co-workers also feel the

pain and effects.

Discussion:

In a similar situation what would you do,

what lessons were learned and what will

we do to prevent a recurrence.

Discuss as a group.