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The risks of operating mine shuttle cars

| Feb 14, 2021 | Workers' Compensation |

To move coal and other materials in a mine, shuttle cars are used. When the average person thinks of these cars, they imagine wooden carts on metal tracks, almost like a railroad track. However, many modern shuttle cars are wide, wheeled vehicles with conveyor belts and powerful engines.

These shuttle cars are driven by operators. The operator is supposed to drive them safely and carefully, and extensive training is often given to ensure that this happens. However, risks still do exist.

A type of heavy machinery

There are risks with shuttle cars just as there are with other types of heavy machinery. Workers could be:

  • Struck by cars that are in motion
  • Injured by poorly maintained cars that malfunction
  • Caught in conveyor belts
  • Pinned between the car and the mine wall
  • Struck by a car that is descending a steep incline, if the cable used in this process is broken

Mines can be loud and confusing places to work, so hand signals are often used. This means that the slightest miscommunication about when a car is going to move or which direction it is going could lead to serious injuries. Those injured in a mine may also see a delay in medical care since they are so far from a hospital at the time of the injury.

Seeking workers’ compensation

Mining is a dangerous job. Workers can and do suffer serious injuries, even under optimal conditions. If you or a loved one has been injuries, make sure you know how to seek workers’ compensation benefits. An experienced attorney can help you.

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