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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Ddasaccident210, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident210, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The demining group were ready to start work at 08:40 but bad weather prevented work until 11:30 when the teams deployed. The two victims left the rest area but "no witness was able to provide a clear indication of the[ir] intentions". It was thought likely that they had gone to carry out a reconnaissance of the area where new grids would be made for the dog runs. They appear to have walked directly to the accident site, stepped deliberately over the edge of lane markings and initiated the mine. Neither victim was wearing protective clothing.
Ddasaccident211, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident211, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The accident report did not give details of what happened in the incident, but from other documents (including the statement of the victim's partner who was not available to be interviewed by the investigators during their site visit) it seems that the deminers started work at 06:10 and at 06:40 the victim took over clearance. The exchange of duty took place close to the accident site, possibly because the marking system was inadequate and the victim's partner had to explain where he had finished work. The metal contamination along the verge caused by litter was such that the deminers found …
Ddasaccident212, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident212, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
At 08:30 the team started work. The victim was clearing the central lane of three lanes 25 metres from each other. Vegetation was sparse where he was working and surface munitions or mines could have been easily seen. The victim had made three excavations prior to the accident but they were not of a size to indicate that anything had been found. At 09:00 an explosion occurred and the victim was seriously injured. He was found lying on his face with half of his end-of-lane marker stick under him and half behind him. The medic attended him "and removed his …
Ddasaccident213, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident213, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
From the site examination, the investigators decided that the victim knelt on his base stick and initiated a mine while clearing undergrowth. The victim was found on his back with his feet towards a crater "about one meter away). The victim later made a brief statement that he was kneeling to prod when the accident occurred.
Ddasaccident214, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident214, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The team started work at 06:00 the victim's partner located a PMA-3 and the Team Leader "dealt with this". At 07:00 the victim began his shift. After five minutes he located a PMA-3 and the Team Leader "dealt with this". At approximately 07:15 the victim stepped on a PMA-3 and it exploded. The victim's statement says that he was "in a position half on a knee of ground" with his prod when the mine exploded.
Ddasaccident215, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident215, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The victim's partner found two PMA-3 mines and the Team Leader disarmed them and put them in a "mine storage area". The victim took over demining and after 4 minutes detonated a mine. He was squatting or kneeling and prodding at the time. He remained conscious but he had suffered damage to his eyes "due mostly to dirt coming up under his visor". He was evacuated to hospital "immediately", arriving after 18 minutes.
Ddasaccident216, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident216, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
This team was demining in an area of very difficult terrain. Dogs were the best solution to the problem at hand. Correct drills were being employed. Supervision and Quality Assurance measures were entirely sufficient. Evidence suggests that the dog sat on the mine, causing the mine to detonate. Three personnel were injured by one mine. Evacuation time was one hour and thirty-five minutes from the time of detonation to arrival at the hospital.
Ddasaccident217, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident217, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
A Team Leader partially detonated a PMA-2 mine whilst deploying his team to their tasks. [Demining group] state that this mine was a re-laid mine. There is an equal amount of evidence to show that it could have been a mine that was missed on the original clearance of the lane.
Ddasaccident218, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident218, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The investigator concluded that the accident occurred as a result of the victim's "total disregard of the inherent dangers of the area and [his] failure to conform to normal work procedures.
Ddasaccident219, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident219, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The investigators concluded that the mine had been missed during the earlier clearance tasks. Also that the training area was "extremely hostile" and easier sites could have been used. The investigators observed that the UN MAC Technical Guides "give no real guidance as to what alternative procedures should be undertaken" when detecting and prodding are inadequate in an area. In previous missed mine incidents in the area (involving two other commercial companies) the mines were also PMA-2s.