A worker sustained head, shoulder and upper-body injuries after a jumbo boom struck them while they assisted with positioning an electric water pump in an underground development heading.
A nipper was assisting a jumbo operator to position the pump at the face of the heading. While they were positioning the jumbo booms in preparation to connect the pump, one boom struck the nipper positioned in front of the lifting jacks between the boom and the wall. Site personnel treated the nipper at the scene before transporting them to hospital for further assessment and medical imaging.
The incident shows how routine set-up activities can expose workers to line-of-fire and crush hazards when work teams do not maintain effective separation between people and moving plant. Workers performing tasks around mobile equipment can enter high-risk areas when exclusion zones, communication and worker-location controls do not adequately manage interactions between plant and personnel.
Takeaways
- Separate workers from plant: Establish and maintain exclusion zones whenever mobile plant is operating or repositioning.
- Maintain positive communication: Positively confirm every worker’s location before moving plant or operating booms.
- Control line-of-fire hazards: Keep workers clear of crush zones and areas between moving plant and fixed structures.
- Plan tasks thoroughly: Define worker locations, exclusion zones and equipment movements before starting the task.
- Stop and reassess work: Review hazards and controls whenever conditions or task requirements change.
- Verify competency and supervision: Confirm workers have the training, competency and oversight required for plant interaction activities.
