Porcupine Northeastern Ontario Mine Safety Group Muck Through Bulkhead Incident Review June 20, 2013
Incident Review - Overview � Description � Immediate Actions Taken � Loss � Causes � Preventive Measures
Description of Incident � Day shift crew arrived at work area and noticed damage to bulkhead which was covering the collar of a previously driven raise � A piece of muck, approximately 3 feet long, 16 inches wide, and 8 inches thick was laying next to a forklift which had been parked under the raise � Work had been on-going in this area for several weeks prior to the incident
Immediate Actions Taken � Crew identified hazard, roped off area and informed site management � Cementation supervisor and client representatives assessed area � Plan was developed and Job Hazard Analysis conducted to repair the bulkhead so work could continue
Plan to Repair Bulkhead to Make Work Area Safe � Day shift crew set up a tugger from the top of the raise and dropped the line through the opening in the bulkhead � A balloon was hoisted through the opening with an air line attached � The balloon was inflated once in position � Night shift crew used aerial man lift to remove broken timber and repair the bulkhead
Loss Due to Incident � Actual Loss � Minor damage to forklift � Delays to scope of approximately two shifts to assess and execute plan to make area safe � Potential Loss � Personal Injury of high severity � Major equipment damage
Causes of Incident � Suspected that a blast in a raise being driven near the area contributed to the large piece of muck being dislodged � Blasting between shifts did reduce the risk of injury to underground personnel � Development of the 2 nd raise was postponed until the bulkhead could be repaired � Bulkhead was not built to industry standards � Single layer of 3X8 timber was used
Additional Factors � Working under overhead hazards � Failure to ensure that overhead protection was sufficient to protect workers � Unaware of bulkhead specifications � Assumption was made that the bulkhead was built to industry standards
Applicable Legislation For Bulkheads � 22. (1) For the purpose of subsection 29 (2) of the Act, drawings, plans and specifications to be kept and maintained shall be, � (b) plans on a horizontal plane with separate drawings for each level showing all underground workings, including shafts, tunnels, diamond drill holes, dams and bulkheads; � Mine plans � ACT – 29 (2) The owner of a mine shall cause drawings, plans or specifications to be maintained and kept up to date not more than six months last past on such scale and showing such matters or things as may be prescribed.
Recommendations � Management and supervision to ensure that bulkheads are built to appropriate standards before any work takes place in the area � Communications made company wide to stress this point to all projects � Quality Control program to assist where different companies work in same areas
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