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METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On August 15, 2008, a 41 year-old apprentice electrician with 14 years mining experience was fatally injured at a copper mine. The victim was working on a 480-Volt floodlight at the tailings booster station when he contacted energized electrical wiring supplying power to the light.

Photo of Accident Scene Described in the Paragraph Above


Best Practices
  • De-energize power from the circuit and lock out/tag the switch.
  • Verify that the circuit is de-energized by testing the circuit for voltage using properly rated test equipment.
  • Closely supervise and monitor persons with limited electrical experience.
  • Establish and follow safe work procedures when working with less experienced miners.
More Information E-mail Suggestion for Accident Prevention Program Submit your own suggestion for a remedy to prevent this type of accident in the future.
Please specify if you wish your submission to be anonymous or whether your name may be used. Please include the year of the fatality and the fatality number.


This is the 13th fatality reported in calendar year 2008 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 2007, there were 20 fatalities reported in these industries. This is the 2nd Electrical fatality in 2008. There were no Electrical fatalities in the same period in 2007.

The information provided in this notice is based on preliminary data ONLY and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the incident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality.


For more information:
Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report - Not Available Yet



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