In the wake of a fatality at a Utah sand and gravel operation, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a number of recommendations as reminders to producers.

A 56-year-old equipment operator with 10 years of experience was killed on Feb. 24, 2011 at Bolinder Resources LLC – Crushing and Sampling Unit, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced on April 11. The operator was cleaning a tramp metal magnet on a belt conveyor when it started.

MSHA has provided the following best practices to protect against this type of accident in the future:

• Establish policies and procedures for conducting specific tasks on belt conveyors.
• Ensure that persons are task trained and understand the hazards associated with the work being performed.
• De-energize and block belt conveyors against motion before working near a drive, head, tail, take-up pulleys, and magnets.
• Lock-out/tag-out all power sources before working on belt conveyors.
• Maintain communications with all persons performing the task. Before starting belt conveyors, ensure that all persons are clear.
• Provide and maintain a safe means of access to all working places.
• Sound an audible alarm if the entire length of the belt conveyor is not visible from the starting switch.