Quarry Safety Manual

Quarry Safety Programs

The safety programs needed at a quarry depend on the operation, equipment, and work performed. A comprehensive manual may include programs covering:

• MSHA Part 46 Training
• Site-Specific Hazard Awareness
• Ground Control
• Highwall Safety
• Mobile Equipment Safety
• Heavy Equipment Safety
• Haul Road and Traffic Safety
• Crusher Safety
• Conveyor Safety
• Machine Guarding
• Lockout/Tagout and Hazardous Energy Control
• Silica and Dust Exposure Control
• Hearing Conservation
• Drilling Safety
• Blasting and Explosives Safety
• Electrical Safety
• Crane and Rigging Safety
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Job Safety Analysis
• Emergency Procedures

Programs that do not apply to the quarry’s operations can be removed, while additional programs should be included when specialized equipment or processes create additional hazards.

MSHA Quarry Safety

Most quarry operations are regulated by MSHA rather than OSHA for activities within MSHA jurisdiction.

Quarry safety procedures should address the applicable requirements for the type of operation and work being performed.

Management should understand:

• MSHA jurisdiction
• Applicable standards
• Training requirements
• Examination and inspection requirements
• Equipment requirements
• Reporting responsibilities
• Recordkeeping requirements
• Contractor responsibilities

OSHA requirements may apply to company operations or locations outside MSHA jurisdiction.

MSHA Part 46 Training

Part 46 generally applies to miners working at surface stone, surface limestone, sand, gravel, and other covered surface nonmetal mines.

The quarry should maintain an appropriate training plan and provide required training.

Training may include:

• New miner training
• Newly hired experienced miner training
• New-task training
• Annual refresher training
• Site-specific hazard awareness

Training should reflect the hazards and work practices of the quarry.

New Miner Training

New miners should receive required training before and after beginning mine work according to applicable Part 46 requirements.

Training should address topics such as:

• Introduction to the work environment
• Recognition of mine hazards
• Emergency procedures
• Health and safety aspects of assigned tasks
• Miners’ rights
• Site-specific hazards
• Applicable safety procedures

Employees should not be assigned work they have not been adequately trained to perform.

Newly Hired Experienced Miners

Experienced miners who are new to the quarry should receive required training concerning the new operation.

Even experienced employees may be unfamiliar with:

• Quarry layout
• Traffic patterns
• Equipment
• Highwalls
• Plant configuration
• Emergency procedures
• Blasting practices
• Site-specific hazards

Previous mining experience should not be considered a substitute for required orientation to the new operation.

New-Task Training

Employees assigned to tasks for which they lack the necessary experience or training should receive required task training before performing the work.

New-task training may be necessary when employees begin:

• Operating unfamiliar equipment
• Crusher operation
• Plant operation
• Conveyor maintenance
• Drilling
• Welding
• Electrical work
• Equipment maintenance
• Loading
• Haulage
• Other unfamiliar tasks

Training should address the health and safety aspects and safe work procedures associated with the task.

Annual Refresher Training

Employees should receive required annual refresher training.

Refresher training should address subjects relevant to the quarry’s hazards and accident experience.

Topics may include:

• Mobile equipment
• Ground control
• Lockout/tagout
• Conveyors
• Crushers
• Electrical safety
• Silica
• Emergency procedures
• Recent incidents and near misses
• Changes in equipment or procedures

Training should reinforce safe work practices rather than simply repeat generic information.

Site-Specific Hazard Awareness

Employees, contractors, visitors, delivery drivers, and other persons should receive required hazard-awareness information appropriate to their exposure.

Topics may include:

• Quarry traffic
• Haul roads
• Mobile equipment
• Highwalls
• Blasting
• Restricted areas
• Conveyors
• Crushers
• Stockpiles
• Water hazards
• Emergency signals
• Required PPE

Hazard-awareness information should reflect the actual conditions at the quarry.

Workplace Examinations

Quarry work areas should be examined as required to identify conditions that may adversely affect employee safety or health.

Hazards identified during examinations should be addressed according to applicable requirements.

Employees should also report hazardous conditions discovered during normal work.

Potential conditions include:

• Loose ground
• Damaged guards
• Equipment defects
• Electrical hazards
• Unsafe travelways
• Spills
• Damaged handrails
• Poor visibility
• Accumulated material

Job Safety Analysis

A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) can help identify hazards and controls before quarry tasks begin.

JSAs may be appropriate for:

• Crusher maintenance
• Conveyor maintenance
• Plant repair
• Equipment operation
• Drilling
• Welding and cutting
• Electrical work
• Highwall work
• Equipment recovery
• Rigging
• Loading and unloading
• Confined-space entry
• Non-routine maintenance

The JSA should identify the steps of the task, associated hazards, and controls needed to perform the work safely.

Ground Control

Quarry employees may work near highwalls, benches, slopes, stockpiles, excavated areas, and other ground conditions capable of creating falling-material or ground-failure hazards.

Ground conditions should be evaluated regularly and when conditions change.

Employees should report:

• Loose rock
• Cracks
• Overhangs
• Sloughing
• Erosion
• Water
• Unstable slopes
• Other signs of movement

Employees should not work where unstable ground creates an uncontrolled hazard.

Highwall Safety

Highwalls can expose employees and equipment to falling rock and ground failure.

Highwall conditions should be evaluated for:

• Loose material
• Cracks
• Overhangs
• Water infiltration
• Weather effects
• Scaling needs
• Recent blasting
• Equipment vibration

Employees should remain a safe distance from hazardous highwalls.

Work should be stopped or relocated when conditions indicate that material could fall unexpectedly.

Scaling and Loose Ground

Loose material should be removed or controlled before employees work in affected areas.

Scaling should be performed from a safe location using appropriate equipment and procedures.

Employees performing scaling should:

• Evaluate the direction material may fall.
• Maintain escape routes.
• Keep other employees clear.
• Avoid working directly beneath loose material.
• Use appropriate equipment.

Areas below scaling operations should be restricted.

Bench Safety

Quarry benches should be maintained to provide safe working areas appropriate to the operation.

Employees should consider:

• Bench width
• Ground stability
• Equipment access
• Edge conditions
• Loose material
• Drainage
• Traffic

Equipment should not operate so close to an unstable edge that ground failure could result in a rollover.

Quarry Faces

Employees working near quarry faces should remain alert to changing ground conditions.

The face should be evaluated after events that may affect stability, including:

• Blasting
• Heavy rain
• Freeze-thaw cycles
• Scaling
• Excavation
• Significant equipment activity

Employees should not work beneath unsupported or visibly unstable material.

Drilling Safety

Quarry drilling operations may expose employees to rotating machinery, drill steel, high-pressure systems, dust, noise, unstable ground, and mobile equipment.

Drill operators should:

• Inspect equipment.
• Maintain guards.
• Control access to operating areas.
• Remain clear of rotating components.
• Evaluate ground conditions.
• Use required dust controls.
• Maintain safe equipment positioning.

Drilling equipment should be positioned on stable ground.

Blasting Safety

Quarry blasting should be conducted only by appropriately trained and authorized personnel.

Blasting procedures should address:

• Blast planning
• Explosive handling
• Blast areas
• Warning signals
• Employee evacuation
• Guarding access
• Communications
• Misfires
• Post-blast inspection
• Reentry

Employees should understand quarry blasting signals and restricted areas.

Blast Area Security

Before blasting, the blast area should be cleared and protected against unauthorized entry.

Procedures may include:

• Guards
• Barricades
• Warning signals
• Radios
• Traffic control
• Employee accountability

Employees should not reenter the blast area until authorized.

Misfires

Suspected misfires should be treated as hazardous.

Employees should:

• Remain outside the affected area.
• Follow established procedures.
• Prevent unauthorized entry.
• Notify the responsible person.

Only appropriately trained and authorized personnel should investigate or handle a misfire.

Explosives Storage and Handling

Explosives and blasting agents should be stored, transported, and handled according to applicable requirements.

Employees not involved in blasting should not enter explosives-storage areas without authorization.

Ignition sources and incompatible activities should be controlled around explosives.

Mobile Equipment Safety

Quarries frequently operate large mobile equipment in close proximity to processing plants, haul roads, stockpiles, and employees on foot.

Equipment may include:

• Front-end loaders
• Haul trucks
• Excavators
• Bulldozers
• Graders
• Water trucks
• Drills
• Service trucks
• Pickup trucks

Only trained and authorized employees should operate equipment.

Mobile Equipment Inspections

Mobile equipment should be inspected as required before operation.

Inspection items may include:

• Brakes
• Steering
• Tires
• Lights
• Horns
• Backup alarms
• Cameras
• Mirrors
• Windows
• Seat belts
• Fire extinguishers
• Hydraulic systems
• Access systems

Defects affecting safe operation should be corrected according to applicable requirements.

Seat Belts

Operators should wear seat belts where provided and required.

Seat belts should be maintained in usable condition.

Operators should not rely on enclosed cabs or rollover protective structures as substitutes for seat-belt use.

Haul Roads

Quarry haul roads should be designed and maintained for the equipment using them.

Conditions to evaluate include:

• Road width
• Grade
• Curves
• Intersections
• Berms
• Drainage
• Surface condition
• Dust
• Visibility
• Lighting

Operators should adjust speed to road, traffic, weather, and visibility conditions.

Berms and Guardrails

Berms or guardrails should be provided where required to protect equipment from dangerous drop-offs.

Berms should be maintained so they remain effective.

Employees should report:

• Damaged berms
• Eroded berms
• Insufficient height
• Missing protection
• Edge deterioration

Berms should not be considered permission to operate carelessly near an edge.

Quarry Traffic Control

Traffic-control procedures should establish predictable movement of haul trucks, loaders, contractor vehicles, employee vehicles, and pedestrians.

Procedures may address:

• Right-of-way
• Speed limits
• Traffic direction
• Intersections
• Passing
• Parking
• Loading areas
• Dump areas
• Restricted routes
• Radio communication

Visitors and contractors should receive appropriate traffic instructions before entering operating areas.

Blind Spots

Large quarry equipment can have extensive blind areas.

Ground employees should:

• Stay outside equipment operating zones.
• Remain visible.
• Wear required high-visibility apparel.
• Establish communication before approaching equipment.
• Avoid standing between equipment and fixed objects.

Operators should stop when they cannot determine whether the travel path is clear.

Backing Safety

Backing should be minimized where practical.

Operators should:

• Check the travel path.
• Use mirrors and cameras.
• Verify warning devices.
• Back at controlled speeds.
• Use spotters when appropriate.

Ground employees should remain clear of backing equipment.

Spotters

When spotters are used, operators and spotters should agree on communication methods before movement begins.

Spotters should:

• Remain visible.
• Stay outside equipment travel paths.
• Avoid pinch points.
• Use clear signals.

Equipment movement should stop if communication is lost.

Front-End Loader Safety

Front-end loaders are commonly used to load haul trucks, feed hoppers, manage stockpiles, and move material.

Operators should:

• Inspect equipment.
• Wear seat belts.
• Maintain visibility.
• Keep loads stable.
• Travel with buckets appropriately positioned.
• Avoid unstable ground.
• Remain clear of highwall hazards.

Ground employees should stay outside loader operating areas.

Haul Truck Safety

Haul-truck operators should understand the vehicle’s braking, steering, capacity, visibility, and operating characteristics.

Operators should:

• Follow haul-road rules.
• Maintain safe speeds.
• Maintain separation.
• Observe right-of-way.
• Approach dump points cautiously.
• Wear seat belts.
• Remain alert to smaller vehicles.

Drivers should not operate equipment with known safety-critical defects.

Dump Points

Dump locations can expose haul trucks to edge failure and rollover hazards.

Dump points should be evaluated for:

• Ground stability
• Berms
• Edge conditions
• Lighting
• Visibility
• Material buildup
• Water
• Weather effects

Operators should follow established dumping procedures.

Stockpiles

Stockpiles can shift, slide, collapse, or conceal unstable conditions.

Employees should avoid:

• Working beneath unstable material.
• Standing at the base of active piles.
• Walking on material capable of collapsing.
• Entering areas where material may slide.

Equipment operators should evaluate pile stability before approaching or working on stockpiles.

Stockpile Feeding

Loaders feeding crushers, hoppers, or other systems should operate on stable ground.

Operators should maintain adequate visibility and avoid operating where material movement could engulf, trap, or overturn equipment.

Ground employees should remain outside active loading areas.

Surge Piles

Surge piles can create engulfment and equipment hazards.

Employees should not walk or work on material that can collapse into feeders or voids.

Access to areas where material can be drawn into underground feeders should be controlled.

Equipment operators working on surge piles should follow established procedures.

Bins and Hoppers

Bins and hoppers can expose employees to engulfment, falling material, moving equipment, and confined-space hazards.

Employees should not enter bins or hoppers until appropriate controls have been established.

Controls may include:

• Stopping material flow
• Lockout/tagout
• Isolation
• Atmospheric evaluation
• Entry procedures
• Rescue planning

Employees should never walk on bridged material that could collapse.

Crusher Safety

Primary and secondary crushers can expose employees to moving machinery, stored energy, falling material, dust, noise, and unexpected startup.

Crusher operating areas should be maintained to protect employees from:

• Moving components
• Falling material
• Flying material
• Dust
• Unsafe access
• Unexpected equipment movement

Employees should not reach into operating crushers.

Crusher Clearing

Crusher blockages should be cleared using planned procedures.

Before employees enter or reach into hazardous areas:

• Stop material feed.
• Shut down affected equipment.
• Control hazardous energy.
• Secure moving components.
• Control stored material.
• Verify isolation.

Employees should not attempt to clear a blockage by placing themselves where unexpected movement or falling material can cause injury.

Crusher Maintenance

Maintenance may require employees to enter areas normally inaccessible during operation.

Before maintenance:

• Shut down equipment.
• Isolate energy.
• Lock out equipment as required.
• Block moving components.
• Control stored material.
• Verify isolation.

Lifting and rigging procedures should be used when removing heavy crusher components.

Screens

Screens contain moving and vibrating components capable of causing serious injury.

Employees should remain clear of operating screens and drive systems.

Before maintenance:

• Shut down equipment.
• Control hazardous energy.
• Block or secure components where necessary.
• Verify isolation.

Employees should use designated access platforms and walkways.

Conveyor Safety

Conveyors are among the most common pieces of equipment in quarry processing plants.

Hazards may include:

• Nip points
• Pulleys
• Belts
• Rollers
• Idlers
• Take-ups
• Drive systems
• Moving material
• Unexpected startup

Employees should remain clear of moving conveyor components.

Required guards should remain installed.

Conveyor Guarding

Conveyor guards should protect employees from hazardous moving parts.

Employees should not remove, alter, or bypass required guards while conveyors are operating.

Missing or damaged guards should be reported and corrected.

Equipment should not be returned to normal service until required guarding has been restored.

Conveyor Crossings

Employees should cross conveyors only at designated and appropriately protected crossings.

Employees should not climb:

• Over operating conveyors
• Under unprotected conveyors
• Through conveyor structures

Crossovers and walkways should be maintained in safe condition.

Conveyor Maintenance

Conveyor maintenance should address electrical, mechanical, gravity, hydraulic, and stored-energy hazards.

Before maintenance:

• Shut down the conveyor.
• Isolate hazardous energy.
• Control belt tension.
• Secure elevated components.
• Control stored material.
• Verify isolation.

Employees should not rely solely on emergency-stop devices for energy isolation.

Conveyor Cleanup

Employees should not perform cleanup where they could contact moving conveyor components.

Cleanup methods should allow employees to remain clear of:

• Belts
• Pulleys
• Rollers
• Nip points
• Moving material

Where cleanup requires entry into hazardous areas, equipment should be placed in an appropriate safe condition first.

Plant Startup

Before starting quarry-processing equipment, employees should verify that personnel are clear and required guards and safety systems are in place.

Startup procedures may include:

• Area inspection
• Warning signals
• Communication
• Sequential equipment startup
• Verification of guards
• Confirmation that maintenance is complete

Employees should understand plant startup alarms and signals.

Plant Shutdown

Normal shutdown procedures should provide an orderly method for stopping processing equipment.

Shutdown should consider:

• Material flow
• Crushers
• Screens
• Conveyors
• Feeders
• Dust-control equipment

Emergency shutdown procedures should be established separately where necessary.

Plant Maintenance

Maintenance employees may be exposed to hazards that production employees do not normally encounter.

Maintenance planning should address:

• Lockout/tagout
• Stored energy
• Heavy components
• Welding
• Rigging
• Electrical systems
• Elevated work
• Chemical exposure
• Confined spaces

Non-routine maintenance should receive additional hazard evaluation.

Lockout/Tagout and Hazardous Energy

Quarry machinery may contain:

• Electrical energy
• Mechanical energy
• Hydraulic pressure
• Pneumatic pressure
• Gravity
• Stored tension
• Moving material

Employees should identify and control hazardous energy before performing work where unexpected startup or movement could cause injury.

Stored Energy

Energy can remain after equipment is shut down.

Examples include:

• Conveyor tension
• Hydraulic pressure
• Pneumatic pressure
• Elevated components
• Flywheels
• Springs
• Stored material

Stored energy should be relieved, blocked, restrained, dissipated, or otherwise controlled before work begins.

Blocking Against Motion

Employees should not work beneath raised or movable components unless they are securely blocked against hazardous movement.

Components may include:

• Loader buckets
• Truck beds
• Crusher parts
• Conveyor equipment
• Hydraulic attachments
• Suspended machinery

Hydraulic pressure alone should not be relied upon to support equipment.

Machine Guarding

Moving machinery should be guarded where employees could contact hazardous components.

Hazards may include:

• Belts
• Pulleys
• Shafts
• Couplings
• Gears
• Chains
• Sprockets
• Fans

Guards should remain secured during normal operation.

Electrical Safety

Quarry electrical systems may include substations, motor-control centers, panels, conveyors, crushers, pumps, portable equipment, and high-voltage systems.

Only appropriately qualified employees should perform specialized electrical work.

Procedures should address:

• De-energization
• Testing
• Grounding
• Electrical enclosures
• Damaged equipment
• Temporary power
• Wet locations
• Overhead lines

Electrical defects should be reported promptly.

Overhead Power Lines

Cranes, drills, excavators, loaders, raised truck beds, and other equipment may contact overhead electrical lines.

Before work begins:

• Identify power lines.
• Evaluate equipment movement.
• Establish required clearances.
• Control travel routes.
• Use appropriate protective measures.

Power lines should be treated as energized unless their status has been appropriately established.

Silica Exposure

Crushing, drilling, blasting, screening, conveying, loading, road traffic, and other quarry activities can generate respirable crystalline silica.

The quarry should evaluate employee exposures and implement controls according to applicable MSHA requirements.

Controls may include:

• Wet methods
• Dust collection
• Local exhaust ventilation
• Enclosures
• Enclosed cabs
• Cab filtration
• Road watering
• Work practices
• Respiratory protection

Employees should receive training regarding silica hazards and controls.

Dust Control

Dust should be controlled where it creates health or visibility hazards.

Dust-control measures may include:

• Water sprays
• Dust collectors
• Enclosures
• Covered transfer points
• Road watering
• Cab filtration
• Equipment maintenance

Employees should report ineffective dust-control systems.

Enclosed Equipment Cabs

Enclosed cabs can help reduce operator exposure to dust when properly maintained.

Operators should:

• Keep doors and windows closed when required.
• Maintain seals.
• Report ventilation problems.
• Keep cab interiors clean.
• Maintain filtration systems.

Contaminated cab interiors can reduce the effectiveness of exposure controls.

Respiratory Protection

Respiratory protection may be required for silica, welding fumes, dust, gases, vapors, or other airborne hazards.

When respirators are required, the respiratory-protection program should address:

• Medical evaluation
• Respirator selection
• Fit testing
• Training
• Inspection
• Cleaning
• Storage
• Filter or cartridge replacement

Respirators should be selected for the actual hazard and exposure.

Hearing Conservation

Crushers, screens, drills, conveyors, mobile equipment, and maintenance tools can produce hazardous noise.

Employee exposures should be evaluated and appropriate controls implemented.

Controls may include:

• Equipment maintenance
• Enclosures
• Isolation
• Employee positioning
• Hearing protection

Required hearing-conservation activities should be documented.

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE should reflect quarry hazards and employee tasks.

Common PPE may include:

• Hard hats
• Safety glasses
• Face shields
• Safety-toe footwear
• Work gloves
• High-visibility apparel
• Hearing protection
• Respiratory protection
• Fall protection

Specialized work may require additional welding, electrical, chemical, or task-specific PPE.

Fall Protection

Quarry employees may work on:

• Crushers
• Screens
• Conveyors
• Platforms
• Silos
• Structures
• Equipment
• Elevated walkways

Fall hazards should be evaluated and appropriate protection provided.

Employees should use designated access systems and required fall protection.

Ladders, Stairs and Walkways

Ladders, stairs, platforms, and walkways should be maintained in safe condition.

Employees should report:

• Damaged steps
• Missing handrails
• Loose grating
• Accumulated material
• Poor lighting
• Damaged ladders

Access routes should be kept reasonably clear.

Crane and Rigging Safety

Quarries may use cranes, overhead hoists, chain falls, and rigging to install and maintain crushers, motors, screens, conveyor components, and other equipment.

Lift planning should address:

• Load weight
• Equipment capacity
• Rigging
• Center of gravity
• Load path
• Ground conditions
• Employee positioning

Employees should remain clear of suspended loads.

Welding, Cutting and Hot Work

Quarry maintenance frequently involves welding, cutting, brazing, and grinding.

Hot-work procedures should address:

• Combustible materials
• Fuel
• Conveyor belts
• Dust
• Compressed gases
• Fire extinguishers
• Fire watch
• Ventilation
• PPE

The surrounding area should be inspected before hot work begins.

Compressed Gas Cylinders

Compressed-gas cylinders should be properly identified, secured, stored, protected, and transported.

Employees should inspect:

• Cylinders
• Regulators
• Hoses
• Valves
• Connections

Damaged or leaking equipment should be removed from service.

Hand and Power Tools

Tools should be appropriate for the task, inspected, and maintained.

Employees should inspect:

• Guards
• Handles
• Electrical cords
• Air hoses
• Abrasive wheels
• Controls

Damaged tools should be removed from service.

Material Handling

Quarry employees may handle conveyor parts, screens, crusher components, steel, pipe, tools, and other heavy materials.

Mechanical assistance should be used when practical.

Employees should avoid:

• Suspended loads
• Pinch points
• Unstable materials
• Improper lifting
• Placing hands beneath unsupported loads

Materials should be stored to prevent rolling, sliding, or collapse.

Loading and Unloading

Loading and unloading quarry equipment, supplies, machinery, and materials should be planned.

Hazards may include:

• Shifting loads
• Mobile equipment
• Suspended loads
• Rigging
• Pinch points
• Trailer movement

Employees should anticipate that loads can shift when restraints are released.

Water Hazards

Quarries may contain ponds, sumps, flooded pits, settling basins, and other water hazards.

Employees should be protected where falling into water creates a drowning hazard.

Controls may include:

• Barriers
• Safe access
• Personal flotation devices
• Rescue equipment
• Fall protection

Equipment operators should also evaluate unstable edges near water.

Weather

Weather can significantly affect quarry conditions.

Hazards may result from:

• Heavy rain
• Lightning
• High winds
• Snow
• Ice
• Extreme heat
• Extreme cold
• Reduced visibility

Weather can affect highwalls, haul roads, stockpiles, equipment traction, drilling, blasting, and electrical systems.

Heat Stress

Quarry employees may perform strenuous outdoor work in high temperatures.

Heat-stress procedures may include:

• Drinking water
• Rest
• Shade
• Acclimatization
• Work scheduling
• Employee monitoring

Employees should recognize symptoms of heat-related illness and report them promptly.

Cold Stress

Cold conditions can affect employees, equipment, access systems, and road conditions.

Controls may include:

• Appropriate clothing
• Warming opportunities
• Protection from moisture and wind
• Snow and ice control
• Employee monitoring

Frozen conditions can also affect ground stability and equipment traction.

Hazard Communication

Quarry employees may use fuels, lubricants, solvents, welding materials, explosives-related products, cleaners, and other hazardous chemicals.

Employees should have access to applicable Safety Data Sheets and receive appropriate hazard information and training.

Chemical containers should be properly labeled.

Fueling

Fueling procedures should control:

• Ignition sources
• Spills
• Vehicle movement
• Static hazards where applicable
• Fire

Employees should use appropriate fueling equipment and respond promptly to spills.

Fuel-storage areas should be maintained according to applicable requirements.

Fire Prevention

Potential quarry fire hazards include:

• Fuel
• Electrical systems
• Mobile equipment
• Conveyor belts
• Welding and cutting
• Combustible materials

Employees should know how to report fires and how to respond to quarry emergency signals.

Fire extinguishers and other fire-protection equipment should remain accessible.

Housekeeping

Quarry processing plants and maintenance areas should be kept reasonably orderly.

Employees should control:

• Spilled material
• Tools
• Hoses
• Cords
• Scrap
• Oil
• Grease
• Packaging

Travelways, stairs, platforms, electrical equipment, and emergency equipment should remain accessible.

Contractor Safety

Contractors performing construction, maintenance, drilling, electrical, mechanical, or other work at the quarry should receive appropriate information concerning mine hazards.

Coordination may address:

• MSHA training
• Site-specific hazard awareness
• Quarry traffic
• Blasting
• Highwalls
• Hazardous energy
• Electrical systems
• Emergency procedures
• Required PPE

Contractors should understand the quarry rules applicable to their work.

Visitors and Delivery Drivers

Visitors and delivery personnel may be unfamiliar with quarry hazards.

Before entering operating areas, they should receive appropriate information regarding:

• Traffic routes
• Mobile equipment
• Restricted areas
• PPE
• Blasting
• Emergency procedures
• Site-specific hazards

Unescorted access should be restricted when necessary.

Emergency Procedures

The quarry should plan for foreseeable emergencies.

Potential emergencies include:

• Equipment incidents
• Highwall failures
• Fires
• Electrical incidents
• Blasting incidents
• Conveyor or crusher incidents
• Medical emergencies
• Water emergencies
• Severe weather

Employees should understand alarms, communication methods, evacuation procedures, assembly areas, and emergency contacts.

First Aid and Medical Response

Employees should know how to obtain first aid and emergency medical assistance.

Procedures should address:

• Emergency communication
• First-aid supplies
• Trained personnel as required
• Emergency transportation
• Worksite location information

Employees should promptly report injuries and illnesses.

Incident Reporting and Investigation

Employees should promptly report:

• Injuries
• Occupational illnesses
• Near misses
• Equipment damage
• Hazardous conditions
• Property damage

Incidents should be investigated to identify contributing and root causes.

Corrective actions should address underlying hazards rather than focusing only on employee behavior.

Required MSHA notifications and reporting should be completed according to applicable requirements.

Quarry Safety Training

Employees should receive training appropriate to their assigned work and exposures.

Training may include:

• MSHA Part 46
• Site-specific hazard awareness
• New-task training
• Mobile equipment
• Ground control
• Highwalls
• Haul roads
• Crushers
• Conveyors
• Lockout/tagout
• Silica and dust
• Hearing conservation
• Electrical safety
• Drilling and blasting
• PPE
• Emergency procedures

Training should be documented as required.

Training should be reviewed when equipment, work assignments, processes, conditions, or applicable requirements change.

Building a Quarry Safety Manual

A Quarry Safety Manual should be customized to the actual quarry operation rather than relying solely on a generic Mining Safety Manual or Heavy Equipment Safety Program.

A crushed-stone quarry with drilling, blasting, primary crushing, secondary crushing, screening, conveyors, stockpiles, loaders, and haul trucks may require a different combination of programs than a sand and gravel operation using excavators, loaders, screens, wash plants, dredging equipment, and mobile conveyors.

The manual should reflect the quarry’s commodity, extraction methods, processing plant, mobile equipment, highwalls, haul roads, drilling and blasting activities, silica exposures, maintenance operations, employees, contractors, and site-specific hazards.

A quarry operating under MSHA Part 46 should also integrate its training plan, new miner training, newly hired experienced miner training, new-task training, annual refresher training, and site-specific hazard-awareness requirements with its overall safety-management system.

The completed manual should provide practical procedures employees and supervisors can use while supporting MSHA compliance, employee training, workplace examinations, JSAs, equipment inspections, incident investigations, contractor coordination, and safe quarry operations.

Customized Quarry Safety Manuals

Get a Quarry Safety Manual customized for your highwalls, drilling and blasting, crushers, screens, conveyors, stockpiles, haul roads, loaders, haul trucks, silica exposures, maintenance operations, processing equipment, and other quarry hazards.