The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a fatality alert after a dragline and its operator were found submerged in 25 feet of water.
The MSHA says the quarry worker had been using the dragline to remove material from a pond.
Divers attempted to locate the operator and were able extricate the dragline from the pond after two days.
The victim was recovered from the engine compartment behind the operator's cab.
This is the ninth fatality reported in 2020, and the second classified as machinery, the administration adds.
Best practice advice has been issued by the MHSA:
Maintain control of operating mobile equipment.
Keep all exits clear in cabs, including alternate and emergency exits, and make sure the doors open freely before beginning work.
Retrofit older models of equipment with current automatic braking systems.
Ensure all controls and brakes are set to the appropriate position for the task.
