Coal

Fatality #9 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c09On Thursday, June 6, 2013, a 36-year-old conveyor belt foreman with 4 years of mining experience was killed while checking a belt wiper at the belt conveyor discharge. He was positioned at the end of an elevated catwalk parallel to the belt drive to check the wiper. When the victim contacted the guardrail at the end of the catwalk, it gave way and he fell below onto the moving belt conveyor.

Best Practices

  • Check guards along belt conveyors for stability and good repair.
  • Train all employees thoroughly on the dangers of working or traveling around moving conveyor belts.
  • Install appropriately-designed railings, barriers, or covers at all required conveyor belt locations, and ensure it is maintained in structurally sound condition.
  • Perform thorough workplace examinations. Inspect the work areas for all potential hazards including places that persons may fall from or through.
  • Provide belt conveyor stop and start controls at areas where miners must access both sides of the conveyor. Provide these areas with adequate crossing facilities (e.g. cross-overs or cross-unders).
  • Do not assume handrails or guards are strong enough to support you, and never lean against or support your weight on guarding.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #8 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c08On Friday, March 22, 2013, a 29-year old continuous mining machine operator, with 9 years of mining experience, was killed while operating a remote-controlled continuous mining machine during retreat mining. While mining a left hand lift, the victim and his helper were positioned near the right rear corner of the continuous mining machine and the right rib. A section of roof, approximately 8 feet long by 7 feet wide and 16 inches thick, fell and broke several roof bolts. The fallen rock struck the victim and knocked down the victim’s helper, injuring him. The slab of rock that fell was a portion of a larger fall, approximately 20 feet wide by 25 feet long, that included the bolted roof between the rear of the continuous mining machine and the mobile roof support units located inby.

Best Practices

  • Ensure that the approved Roof Control Plan support provisions are suitable for the geological conditions at the mine and that the plan is followed.
  • Develop a map of geologic features, so additional support can focus on those areas.
  • Conduct frequent and adequate examinations of roof, face, and ribs. Be alert for changing conditions. When hazardous conditions are detected, danger off access to the area until it is made safe for work and travel.
  • Maintain proper entry widths and pillar dimensions.
  • Develop a safe procedure to align Mobile Roof Supports with the lift being mined.
  • Install and examine test holes regularly for changes in roof strata.
  • Take additional measures when hazards associated with draw rock are encountered, such as mining shorter cuts and decreasing roof bolt spacing.
  • When joints are encountered, install adequate supplemental support.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #7 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c07On Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at approximately 4:55 p.m., a 63-year-old roof bolter with 40 years of mining experience was killed when he was struck by a large piece of roof rock while installing a rib bolt on the right side of the number 8 right crosscut on the No. 1 Section. The victim was between the drill head and the ATRS when the roof fell on him. The rock was approximately 6 feet long by 5.5 feet wide and about 5 inches thick.

Best Practices

  • Conduct frequent and adequate examinations of the roof, face, and ribs. Be alert for changing conditions at all times. When hazardous conditions are detected, danger off access to the area until it is made safe for work and travel.
  • Develop and follow safe rib bolting procedures. Consult the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • Adequately support, or scale down, any loose roof or rib material from a safe location before working or traveling in the area.
  • Ensure that Automated Temporary Roof Support (ATRS) systems on all roof bolting machines are maintained in good working condition.
  • Ensure that the approved Roof Control Plan is followed and is suitable for the geologic conditions encountered at the mine. If conditions change and cause the plan to no longer be suitable, the plan must be revised to provide adequate support for the control of the roof, face, and ribs.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #6 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c06On Tuesday, February 19, 2013, a 44-year old shuttle car operator, with four years of experience, was killed when he was pinned underneath the battery end of a section scoop. The accident occurred on the No. 3 Section in the first connecting crosscut inby the feeder between the Number 5 and 6 entries. The victim was shoveling along the ribs of the crosscut when a battery-powered scoop backed into the crosscut, striking him.

Best Practices

  • Train miners to establish and use effective means of communication while operating and working around mobile equipment.
  • Know your location relative to the movement of mobile equipment and never position yourself between any piece of equipment in motion and a stationary object. Assume the equipment operator has not seen you, unless eye contact is confirmed and signal your presence to equipment operators.
  • Install and utilize Proximity Detection Systems on continuous mining machines and haulage equipment to prevent these types of accidents and fatalities. See More…
  • Use cameras mounted on section haulage equipment and utility equipment, such as scoops, to improve the visibility of machine operators.
  • When operating equipment, sound audible warnings when traveling around turns or blind spots, through ventilation curtains, and any other time the equipment operator’s visibility is limited or obstructed.
  • Never position extraneous material or supplies on top of mobile equipment, or position the machine’s batteries in a manner which can interfere with or obstruct the visibility of the machine operator.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #5 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c05On Tuesday, February 12, 2013, a 51-year-old motorman with 31 years of mining experience was seriously injured while attempting to re-rail a shield carrier. The shield carrier was raised with an air bag. The victim was attempting to straighten the wheels and pry the wheel flange high enough to clear the rail. As the wheel flange cleared the rail, the shield carrier shifted, causing the slate bar to fly back and strike the victim in the face. The victim later died of the injury.
Best Practices

  • Block or secure equipment being raised against motion so it cannot suddenly shift.
  • Always be aware of the stored potential energy when raising or lowering items.
  • Make sure the lifting device has a secure base before lifting an item.
  • When lifting items and the desired height cannot be reached, block the item in position and lower the lifting device to establish a higher base.
  • Ensure that personnel are trained to recognize hazardous work procedures where inadvertent movements could cause injury.
  • Discuss work procedures and identify all hazards associated with the work to be performed, along with the methods to protect personnel.
  • Ensure personnel are equipped with proper equipment and are knowledgeable of safe procedures for rerailing.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #4 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c04On Wednesday, February 13, 2013, a 28-year-old continuous mining machine operator was killed when he was pinned between the tail of the remote controlled continuous mining machine and the coal rib. The victim had mined the first two lifts of the cut sequence in the No. 1 entry. While repositioning the continuous mining machine to mine the final cut on left side, the victim was pinned between the tail of the machine and the coal rib on the right side. The victim had 4 years and 2 months of mining experience, with 6 months of experience as a continuous mining machine operator.
Best Practices

  • Install and maintain proximity detection systems. See the proximity detection single source page on the MSHA website.
  • Develop programs, policies, and procedures for starting and tramming remote controlled continuous mining machines.
  • Frequently review, retrain, and discuss avoiding the “RED ZONE” areas when operating or working near a remote controlled continuous mining machine.
  • Train all production crews and management in the programs, policies, and procedures and ensure that they are followed.
  • Ensure that mining machine operators are in a safe location while tramming the continuous mining machine from place to place or repositioning in the entry during cutting and loading.
  • Ensure everyone is outside the machine turning radius before starting or moving the equipment.
  • When moving continuous mining machines where the left and right traction drives are operated independently, low tram speed should be used.
  • Assign another miner to assist the continuous mining machine operator when it is being moved or repositioned.
  • Train all persons in the programs, policies, and procedures for operating or working near remote controlled continuous mining machines. Additional information on preventing these types of accidents can be found at: MSHA’s Safety Targets Program Hit By Underground Equipment.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #3 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c03On Thursday, February 7, 2013, at approximately 9:20 p.m., a 43-year-old utility man was killed when he was pinned underneath the scoop he was operating at the bottom of a service shaft. The victim and two other miners were unloading trash from a scoop bucket insert with the scoop bucket positioned on the hoist platform. The hoist unexpectedly started moving up the shaft. This raised the front end of the scoop, which slipped away from the hoist deck and fell suddenly. The victim was found underneath the operator’s deck of the scoop.

Best Practices

  • Ensure that an adequate delay time is provided between the activation of visual and/or audible alarms and the movement of the hoist, so that workers can react and move clear of dangerous areas.
  • Conduct thorough examinations of all hoisting equipment and safety mechanisms on a daily basis. Ensure that persons conducting these examinations are trained adequately and any deficiencies identified are corrected immediately.
  • Discuss work procedures and identify all hazards associated with the work to be performed along with the methods to properly protect persons.
  • Communicate work activities prior to beginning the work and maintain communications during the work activity.
  • Develop and implement a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the safe operation of service hoists and man hoists, train all of the miners involved in hoisting operations, and post these procedures near the hoist control panels in a conspicuous location.
  • Provide redundant safety mechanisms that provide a more fail proof check of the system before the hoist can be operated.
  • When possible, secure the cage mechanically to prevent cage motion due to suspension rope stretch during loading or other unintended motion.
  • Design Electrical safety circuits so that an open circuit does not represent a safe condition and the functioning of the safety circuit should not be solely dependent on a single programmable electronic system.
  • Ensure that the hoist is inoperable during loading and unloading operations.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #2 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c02On Wednesday, February 6, 2013, at approximately 4:00 p.m., a 34-year-old company engineer was killed at a coal preparation facility when he was struck by one of the hydraulic cylinders on a plate-type filter press. A hydraulic cylinder catastrophically failed while the press was in operation. The victim was positioned near the hydraulic cylinders, troubleshooting the operation of the filter press, when the accident occurred. The filter press de-watered the fine coal refuse material generated during the coal cleaning process.

Best Practices

  • When troubleshooting or testing pressurized systems, position yourself in a safe location, away from any potential sources of failure.
  • When possible, block access to areas where pressurized cylinders, tanks, or other vessels are located while the equipment is in operation and under pressure.
  • Train miners in the proper maintenance of and the dangers associated with working around pressurized cylinders, tanks, and other vessels that have the potential to explode or rupture.
  • Ensure the ratings of hydraulic components are compatible with their intended use.
  • Use the proper tools and equipment for the job.
  • Inspect, examine and evaluate all materials that are being used in the installation, replacement, or repair of pressurized systems to ensure they are suitable and meet minimum manufacturer’s specifications.
  • Examine and inspect hydraulic components for defects periodically.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #1 for Coal Mining 2013

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ftl2013c01On Saturday, January 26, 2013, a 52-year-old contract welder with 30 years of experience was killed while doing maintenance on a bulldozer. The victim was performing work to remove a damaged wear plate from the bulldozer’s center portion of the blade. At the time of the accident, a hydraulic jack was being used to push the wear plate away from the bulldozer blade. The victim was using an air chisel between the wear plate and the blade. The hydraulic jack slipped while the victim was using the air chisel and he was crushed between the blade and the damaged wear plate.

Best Practices

  • Ensure the power is off and the equipment is blocked against motion prior to performing maintenance.
  • Devise safe methods to complete tasks involving large objects, massive weights, or where the release of stored energy is a possibility.
  • Provide proper task training.
  • Never use a hydraulic jack as the only tool for supporting large objects, massive weights, or objects that have the potential for the release of stored energy.
  • Avoid metal to metal contact because it slides much easier than wood or other materials against metal.
  • Ensure that all contact areas where jacks or other blocking materials are to be installed are free from grease or other substances to decrease the likelihood of shifting and sliding.
  • Ensure that there is sufficient space around equipment to enable work to be performed safely.
  • Consult and follow the manufacturer’s recommended safe work procedures for the maintenance task and monitor work to ensure procedures are followed.
  • Ensure that contractors have safe work procedures in place for the specific task, machine, etc.
  • Before performing any job, consider all hazards and implement formal procedures that address possible hazards.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #20 for Coal Mining 2012

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ftl2012c20On Friday, December 14, 2012, a 52-year-old rock truck operator with over 13 years of mining experience fell from the truck he operated while attempting to ascend the access ladder to the operator’s cab. On December 28, 2012, he died of complications from the injuries sustained in the fall.

Best Practices
  • Always use the “Three Points of Contact” method. Ensure that either two hands and one foot, or one hand and two feet are in contact with the ladder at all times when mounting and dismounting equipment.
  • Keep hands free of any objects when mounting or dismounting equipment.
  • Maintain traction by ensuring footwear is free of potential slipping hazards such as dirt, oil, and grease.
  • Always face equipment when mounting or dismounting it.
  • Always maintain and use the access provided by the manufacturer.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)