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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Ddasaccident310, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident310, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The victim was a Section Leader who had been conducting his duties for three hours when, at 08:45 a deminer informed the victim “that there was a strange object in his excavation lane”. The Section Leader tried to excavate the object but had some difficulty “seeing it clearly because his visor was dirty and scratched. So he raised his visor halfway to see better, than grasped the object with the thumb and forefingers of his left hand and tried to pull and pry the object from the earth with the trowel”. The object detonated.
Ddasaccident327, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident327, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The [Demining group] base informed [demining group Programme Manager] that Morina #2 clearance have started. Uncontrolled explosion occurs in Morina 2 minefield, 1 deminer injured.
Ddasaccident309, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident309, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
On the day of the accident the site-log recorded that work started at 06:30 and a change-over took place every 30 minutes thereafter. The accident occurred during a change-over period. While standing up from a kneeling position at 10:45, Victim No.1 lost his balance and fell forwards detonation a Type-72 antipersonnel blast mine [probably with his hand]. Victim No.1’s partner and Section Leader were standing too close to him at the time.
Ddasaccident341, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident341, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
[The Victim] was the first one to work in the critical working lane, while supported by deminer No 2. At 08.30 explosion was heard and all the works stopped within all three teams.
Ddasaccident300, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident300, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The deminer identified the reading within the confirmed row of mines. The deminer acted on this reading using excavation procedures. The mines destroyed and marked within the first row were R2M2. The predominate mine in this area of the Cordon is R2M2. The deminer stated he was excavating a reading when the mine detonated. There was physical evidence of excavation and water being used.
Ddasaccident313, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident313, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
On 7th July 2000, the victim was continuing his clearance along the wire. The victim started work in the new lane and removed a metal bracket and piece of the barbed-wire. He then did a further two check sweeps with his detector before starting excavation with his enxada (digging tool, [hoe]). On the 3rd scrape (moving from left to right) an unplanned explosion occurred which threw the victim directly backwards into the safe area behind.
Ddasaccident344, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident344, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
[Victim No.2] and [Victim No.1] marked the place with a red-top picket 1.2m high (to be found later in the vicinity of the accident spot) and asked [the Local witness] to help them identify the mine. [The Local witness] refused and went to [RS MAC Ops Officer No.2], who handled VALLON, trying to locate where other mines are. 2-3 minutes after he left the site of located mine, there was an explosion at the crossing of trenches.
Ddasaccident354, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident354, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The injured deminer was overzealous in the use of his hand prodding drills and procedures, because he might have thought that the VS-50 mine did not contain any detonators the same as the majority of other VS-50 mines found in this minefield. I conclude that the injured deminer was kneeling right over the mine when the mine exploded or he failed to wear his protective equipment, especially his helmet and visor, correctly as per Northern Iraq Standard Operating Procedures.
Ddasaccident314, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident314, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
On 7th June 2000 the victim completed 5m of clearance which were checked by the Team Supervisor. The victim then went on to clear a further 1.3m before indicating that he had located a mine. The mine was lying on its side 30cm from the leg of the tower. The Team Supervisor examined the mine before tasking the Trainee Supervisor to move the mine to the demolition pit, during the 12:50-13:00 break period. The Team Supervisor observed the victim restarting excavation then began walking away from the tower. When the Team Supervisor was 17m away, an unplanned explosion occurred.
Ddasaccident269, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident269, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
At 10:20 The victim was using a "Schonstedt GA 72-cd Locator in his "clearance area" and got a signal. He moved the grass from the area and "noticed a silver coloured metallic object visible on the surface". He was moving a stone to investigate this "suspected part of a BLU 97" when at 10:20 it detonated. He suffered injury to the index finger of his right hand. He was wearing his PPE according to SOPs. [The PPE was not described or photographed but would have included a visor and flak-jacket as required in that theatre.]
Ddasaccident274, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident274, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The accident occurred after the victim had just changed roles with his partner in the working lane. He used the detector and after a few minutes, he detected a sound and began to cut the grass lower. It was when he started to use the spade (trowel) that the detonation occurred. The deminer was not injured.
Ddasaccident298, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident298, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
At the time of the accident [the] deminer had identified a reading within a row of mines in the Cordon Sanitaire Minefield. Ground conditions were favourable with relatively level ground and not very hard but with small loose stones. The deminer was wearing full PPE including gloves in both hands for arm protection. After identifying a reading, the deminer pinpointed and started excavating. From his own statement, he had already located the mine and was further exposing it when it went off. He further states that a rock rolled back into the hole he was excavating and landed on a …
Ddasaccident337, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident337, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The demining team had been working at the site since February. The Victim was working in a breaching lane and set off a PMN mine.
Ddasaccident276, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident276, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The report stated that at “12:50 on 15 April 2000, [the victim] detonated a mine whilst conducting clearance in the Cordon Sanitaire Minefield”. When the casualty was recovered from the minefield and tended by the paramedic, it was found that he was conscious and had sustained only minor injuries.” The victim arrived at the site medical unit at 13:05 and the field doctor arrived “immediately afterwards”. The victim sustained superficial burns to his left “arm and forearm. A minor contusion also developed on his left wrist.” [Apparently, he was not taken to a hospital.]
Ddasaccident336, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident336, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The site of the accident was indicated by two dogs and the two victims moved forward to investigate. Victim No.1 began to excavate at the site with his pick. After some time he changed with Victim No.2. Without waiting for Victim No.1 to withdraw, Victim No.2 set to work with the pick and “immediately” initiated an M19 mine.
Ddasaccident318, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident318, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The accident occurred while carrying out a Survey Level 2 at Save minefield and the first deminer was tasked to make a cut into the minefield to a visible anti-group mine. He removed a piece of metal, then checked again with his detector. Having got another reading, (heard by his Section Commander who was 10m away) he started to excavate with his “shovel”. He hit another PMN which detonated.
Ddasaccident270, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident270, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The victim initiated a mine at 13:10 while he was prodding to investigate a detector reading. His visor and apron "absorbed the blast", with the visor being torn off and landing in an uncleared area 8m away. The prodder had not been found at the time the report was written [it was found and photographed later].
Ddasaccident275, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident275, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The victim was continuing the breach begun by the earlier victim. He worked a further ten metres and checked the lane with his detector as he walked back towards the safe area. As he passed the site of the earlier accident, he got a slight detector reading and began to investigate with his prod. The mine detonated.