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Fatality involving front end loader

18 September 2012

Please see below Safety Alert from the Queensland Government

Mines Inspectorate—All mines
Safety Alert No. 294 | 12 September 2012

Fatality involving front end loader

What happened?

A worker on foot was struck and killed by a 988H Cat front end loader which was tramming forward. The worker was found on the ROM pad.

How did it happen?

Pedestrian–vehicle interaction is a major hazard at mines. This incident has been recognised as pedestrian and mobile equipment interaction, but the investigation is still ongoing.

Recommendations

All sites should review their procedures, practices and plans to manage the risk of mobile equipment–pedestrian risk.

The review should include these points:

  1. Designing operations, tasks and activities to eliminate or reduce the possibility of interaction between pedestrians and mobile equipment.
  2. Maintaining positive communication between pedestrians and equipment operators.
  3. Recognising the equipment operator's blind spots and the location of pedestrians or plant.
  4. Developing clear and concise rules for the interaction of mobile equipment and pedestrians in all parts of the operation, including restricting pedestrians from areas where mobile equipment is operating.
  5. Considering implementation of proximity sensing technology to limit equipment operation when persons are in the vicinity of mobile equipment.

988H Cat Front End Loader

Authorised by Robert O’Sullivan | Chief Inspector of Mines
Contact: Steve Firth, Inspector of Mines, +61 7 4799 7507
Place the alert on noticeboards and ensure all relevant people in your organisation receive a copy.
See more safety alerts and bulletins at http://mines.industry.qld.gov.au/
And the hazard database at http://mines.industry.qld.gov.au/safety-and-health/publications-guides.htm

”Please note that any references to legislation, standards or codes in these alerts and bulletins may or may not be relevant to operations in South Australia. Readers should ensure that they identify and apply the legislation, standards and codes relevant to their operations in South Australia.”