Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307645937 - Hard Rock Veneer Dba High Desert Rustic Stone

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys Mining & Tunneling District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:15 a.m. on October 25, 2004, Employees #1 and #2 were working at a surface mine located in Randsburg, CA. The mine was an open pit rock quarry that produced decorative stone used in the construction and landscaping industries. Employees used chisels and mallets to split and shape the stone into a final product approximately 1-inch thick. On the day of the accident, Employee #1 and Employee #2, both miners with 32 and 12 years experience respectively, were working together splitting rock. They had lifted a rock slab that was about 5 feet tall, 3 feet wide, and 6 inches thick into a near vertical position. It was supported by placing dirt behind it. They were splitting rocks in front of the large slab and throwing them into a loader bucket. When the bucket was full, a coworker started the loader causing the slab to fall forward and strike both workers. They were transported by private vehicles to a local hospital. Employee #1 suffered fractured facial bones and Employee #2 suffered bruises and contusions to his face. They were both hospitalized. Further investigation revealed that standing up large slabs and supporting them with smaller stones was a normal practice and is done to provide access to shape the large slabs. In this case, the employees did not adequately support the slab with smaller rocks or ensure that it was stable before working nearby. Employees at the mine are trained in this practice and perform it on a daily basis.

Keywords: FRACTURE, ROCK, WORK RULES, STRUCK BY, FACE, CONTUSION