Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 14445407 - PARTIALLY BURIED BY COAL IN COAL HOPPER

Accident Summary Nr: 14445407 -- Report ID: 0552700 -- Event Date: 07/18/1984
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
14880868	07/19/1984	4911	0	Northern States Power Company

Abstract: EMPLOYEES #1 AND 2 WERE IN A COAL BUNKER, STANDING ATOP THE COAL, CHIPPING BUILD-UP FROM THE WALLS. THEY WERE NOT USING BODY HARNESSES AND LIFELINES. UNAWARE THAT THE DISCHARGE PIPE HAD BEEN EMPTIED BELOW THEM, THEY REQUESTED THAT THEIR HELPER (WATCHING FROM THE TOP OF THE BIN) CALL THE VALVE CONTROLLER BY RADIO AND HAVE HIM OPEN THE DISCHARGE VALVE (GATE). THE CONTROLLER, AS REQUESTED, OPENED THE GATE, UNAWARE THAT THERE WERE TWO MEN IN THE BIN. WHEN THE VALVE OPENED, THE COAL BEGAN TO SLIDE OUT RAPIDLY, CAUSING THE TWO MEN TO BEGIN TO SINK INTO THE COAL. THE WATCHMAN (HELPER) IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE CONTROLLER TO HAVE THE VALVE RECLOSED. ONE MAN WAS SUBMERGED TO HIS WAIST WHEN THE FLOW WAS STOPPED. THE OTHER WAS COVERED UP TO HIS FACE. THE OUTSIDE WATCHMAN, ALSO WITHOUT HARNESS OR LIFELINE, IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED THE LADDER TO RESCUE THE OTHER TWO EMPLOYEES. AFTER RESCUE, EMPLOYEES #1 AND 2 WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, TREATED BRIEFLY, AND RELEASED.

Keywords: LIFELINE, CONFINED SPACE, SAFETY BELT, COAL, FLOWING MATERIAL, COAL HOPPER, BURIED

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	14880868			Non Hospitalized injury	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Laborers, except construction
2	14880868			Non Hospitalized injury	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Laborers, except construction

Thank You for Visiting Our Website

You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server.

The Department of Labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. The Department of Labor also cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Thank you for visiting our site. Please click the button below to continue.