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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.
OPA News Release: [08/16/2002]
Contact Name: Amy
Louviere
Phone Number: (202) 693-9423
Rash of Quarry Drownings Prompts Renewed
Warnings
ARLINGTON, Va. – A
recent spate of drownings in the United States has prompted the Mine Safety and
Health Administration (MSHA) to reissue warnings about the dangers of swimming
in active and abandoned quarries and gravel pits. Since early July, MSHA has
documented nine deaths at mine sites frequented by adult and teenage swimmers.
Three drownings occurred in Pennsylvania, while Indiana, Michigan, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont each accounted for one.
“Each one of these deaths is tragic, yet totally preventable,”
said Dave D. Lauriski, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health.
“Quarries may seem like enjoyable places to take a dip, but they are
nothing like a backyard pool or a mountain lake. They are riddled with hidden
hazards that make them extremely dangerous places to swim.”
Water-filled quarries and pits may conceal rock ledges and old mining
machinery beneath the surface. The water can be deceptively deep and
dangerously cold, which often leads to cramping among even experienced
swimmers. Steep, slippery walls make exiting these swimming holes extremely
difficult.
MSHA’s public awareness campaign, “Stay Out—Stay
Alive,” educates children and adults about the dangers of swimming in old
quarries and playing on mine property. More than 70 federal and state agencies,
private organizations and businesses are partners in this effort.
Since 1999, more than 100 people have died in recreational accidents on
active and abandoned mine sites.
For more information about “Stay Out—Stay Alive” and a
list of fatalities, visit MSHA’s web site at
www.msha.gov.
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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.
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