Labor Law Center Blog » Blog Archive » ATVs and Mine Shafts A Deadly Combination

ATVs and Mine Shafts A Deadly Combination

September 4th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

A recent tragic accident underscores concerns about two hazards in the workplace – the use of ATVs, and the dangers posed by abandoned mines.

Over the long Labor Day weekend, 10-year-old Casie Hicks was listed in critical condition in a Las Vegas hospital while her sister is dead. Hicks was riding an ATV that disappeared down a mine shaft more than 100 ft. deep. Hicks and her 12-year-old sister Rikki Howard were riding for fun near Chloride, Arizona on Saturday, September 1, 2007. The two half-sisters, on an ATV, were following their dad, who was on a dirt bike. Suddenly, the man realized that his daughters were no longer behind him.

Searchers spent hours Saturday night trying to find the girls in the mountainous terrain. In the dark, the searchers walked within feet of the unmarked mine shaft. The sheer drop of 125 feet was concealed in overgrown brush.

The girls “were driving along and they went into the mine. It was a total accident,” according to Mohave County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Sandy Edwards. “During the night, our team walked by the site because the hole was hidden by a line of brush.”

In daylight, searchers were able to follow the ATVs tracks, until they disappeared into the brush. The father immediately shouted down the shaft, but only one girl answered. Rescuers rappelled to the bottom of the mine on Sunday morning, finding 13-year-old Rikki Howard dead. Hicks was whisked by helicopter from the northwest Arizona location to a nearby hospital.

While this tragic accident occurred during recreational use, it underscores two dangers frequently faced in the workplace. ATVs are increasingly being used in industry, including agriculture, forestry, landscaping and construction. And, abandoned mines are a hazard to workers in every state.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that ATV deaths have climbed more than 15-fold in a 24-year period, from 29 in 1982 to 470 in 2004. Injuries reached a new high of 136,100. As the use of ATVs in the workplace increases, so does the death toll.

Most ATV fatalities in the workplace could be prevented by using safety precautions and by training workers in the use of the vehicles. In the past 10 years, 100 workers have lost their lives in job-related ATV accidents. Some of the safety precautions include wearing a helmet and following the manufacturer’s recommendation for weight limits. While ATVs are commonly associated with recreation, and are sometimes operated by children, OSHA, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration notes that they are actually tricky to operate and handle much differently than trucks or cars.

While ATVs have four wheels like an auto, they steer and handle very differently. That’s because the rear axel of an ATV or All Terrain Vehicle pivots. Instead of resting on 4 points, as a car does, the ATV rests on 3 points. This can make ATVs tricky to handle, particularly in rough terrain or going uphill. This instability is exacerbated when an employer makes modifications to the ATV.

Abandoned mine shafts also pose a hazard in the workplace. In this case, the mineshaft was apparently not marked in any way, although it’s unclear if the family had permission to be on the land.

There are abandoned mines in virtually every state. “There s a significant amount (sic) of abandoned mines …that are hazardous to the public’s health,” said Laurie Swartzbaugh, Deputy Director of the Arizona State Mine Inspector’s office. While many abandoned mine shafts are marked or posted as “no trespassing”. Others, like the one that Hicks and Howard fell into, are unmarked. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) launched the “Stay Out – Stay Alive” program to warn against accidentally going on mining property. Officials visited schools and scout groups to talk to children about the risks. Richard E. Stickler, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, said about 500,000 abandoned mines and 14,000 active operations exist around the U.S. Many, he said, contain “hidden hazards, and for those not trained to work in mines, the outcome can be deadly. That’s why we urge hikers, bikers, rock hounds and swimmers to ‘Stay Out – Stay Alive.”