Coal

Fatality #11 for Coal Mining 2011

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On Thursday, July 21, 2011, at approximately 9:05 p.m., an office worker was killed at a surface coal operation when she was struck by a pickup driven by a vendor. As part of a wellness program instituted at the mine, the victim was walking along a rural road on the permit area for the mine when the pickup struck her from behind. The vendor was accessing the mine for routine maintenance.

Best Practices

  • Maintain complete control over vehicles and equipment while in operation.
  • Stay alert for unexpected pedestrians when driving in rural areas.
  • Drive at speeds relative to changing light and conditions.
  • Walk in designated pedestrian areas or facing traffic.
  • Wear highly visible reflective clothing when walking on roadways.
  • Ensure there is no oncoming traffic when crossing roadways.
  • Post signs and appropriate speed limits in areas where pedestrians may be present.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #10 for Coal Mining 2011

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On Monday, July 11, 2011 a 26-year-old supply motor operator, with 6 years 1 month of mining experience, was killed while transporting materials using a diesel powered 15-ton locomotive. When the locomotive approached a low, steel, over-cast beam, the victim placed his head outside of the operator’s compartment and was struck by the steel beam and the locomotive’s canopy.

Best Practices

  • Keep all body parts within the operator’s compartment while the equipment is in motion.
  • Ensure that all track mounted equipment has adequate clearance throughout mine.
  • Always look in the direction of equipment movement and exercise caution in low clearance work areas.
  • Conduct proper workplace and travelway examinations to identify and mitigate the hazards presented by low clearances.
  • Install warning signs that tell operators to reduce speed in low clearance areas.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #9 for Coal Mining 2011

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On Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at approximately 11:15 a.m., a 49 year old continuous haulage cable attendant was killed when he was struck by a section of rib. The rock was approximately 82 inches long, 36 inches wide, and 11 inches thick. The mining height at the accident site was just over seven feet, and the depth of cover was 700 feet.

Best Practices

  • Conduct thorough pre-shift and on-shift examinations of the roof, face, and ribs immediately before working or traveling in an area, and thereafter as conditions warrant.
  • Know and follow the Approved Roof Control Plan. Take additional measures to protect persons when hazards are encountered.
  • Assure the Approved Roof Control Plan is suitable for prevailing geological conditions. Revise the plan if conditions change and the support system is not adequate to control the roof, face, and ribs.
  • Rib bolts provide the best protection against rib falls and are most effective when installed on cycle and in a consistent pattern.
  • Be alert to changing geological conditions which may affect roof, rib, and face conditions.
  • Support loose ribs or roof adequately or scale down loose material before beginning work.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #8 for Coal Mining 2011

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On Monday, June 27, 2011, a 33 year old miner was killed when a portion of coal and rock fell from the upper portion of a pillar rib. The material that fell was approximately 8 feet long, by 32 inches thick, by 3 feet high.

Best Practices

  • Conduct a thorough visual examination of the roof, face, and ribs immediately before any work or travel is started in an area and thereafter as conditions warrant.
  • Perform careful examinations of pillar corners, particularly where the angles are formed between entries and crosscuts are less than 90 degrees.
  • Support any loose rib or roof material adequately or scale before beginning work.
  • Take additional safety precautions when mining heights increase to prevent development of rib hazards.
  • In areas prone to deterioration, install rib support when the area is mined initially.
  • Be alert to changing geologic conditions which may affect roof/rib conditions.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #7 for Coal Mining 2011

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On Thursday, June 9, 2011, a 53 year-old contract steelworker, with over 16 years of coal mine experience, was killed when he fell approximately 8 feet from a steel beam. He hit a lower cross beam before he landed on a conveyor belt cover located about 32 inches below the cross beam. The victim had been engaged in cutting operations just prior to the fall, and was repositioning when he removed his lanyard tie-off safety device from the location where it was secured.
Best Practices

  • Wear and use fall protection, maintaining 100 per cent tie off, when fall hazards exist.
    See TieOff.asp
  • Ensure workers are trained and understand the proper use of restraint devices.
  • Provide self retracting lanyard mechanisms when possible.
  • Ensure secure footing in all work areas.
  • Examine tools and personal protective equipment routinely and replace when defects or wear is evident.
  • Conduct a risk assessment of the work area prior to beginning any task and identify all possible hazards. Use the SLAM; Stop, Look, Analyze, and Manage approach for work place safety.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).

Fatality #6 for Coal Mining 2011

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June 6, 2011
Powered Haulage – Surface – Virginia
Humphreys Enterprises Inc. – No 5 Strip
Based on MSHA’s investigation and the finding of the death certificate, MSHA concluded that the miner died from natural causes and that the fatality should be de-listed and not charged to the mining industry. The death certificate indicated that the death was natural and was due to a cardiac arrhythmia due to a myocardial infarction which in turn was due to coronary artery atherosclerosis.”

Fatality #5 for Coal Mining 2011

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On Saturday, May 14, 2011, a 37-year old mechanic with 14 years of mining experience and 1½ years of experience as a mechanic, was killed while removing a counter weight fuel tank assembly from a front-end loader. He was positioned beneath the front-end loader when he removed 14 of the 16 mounting bolts that secure the counter weight. When the victim attempted to remove the next to last bolt, the remaining two bolts failed allowing the 11,685 pound counterweight to fall on him. The counter weight had not been blocked to prevent it from falling.

Best Practices
  • Install blocking materials before removing mounting bolts from machinery components which can fall during disassembly.
  • Follow known safe maintenance procedures.
  • Follow the equipment manufacturers recommended maintenance procedures when performing repairs to machinery.
  • Train new mechanics in the health and safety aspects and safe work procedures related to their assigned tasks.

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

Fatality #4 for Coal Mining 2011

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On Friday, March 25, 2011, a 54-year old continuous mining machine operator with 35 years of experience was killed when he was caught between the coal rib and the conveyor boom of the remote controlled continuous mining machine he was operating.

Best Practices
  • AVOID “RED ZONES”!!! Prior to tramming the continuous mining machine to a new place, ensure the machine operator is positioned outside the turning radius of the machine. MSHA Red Zone webcast (pdf)
  • Prior to tramming the continuous mining machine to a new place, ensure the tip of the conveyor boom is positioned on the side of the mining machine opposite to the side where the machine operator is located.
  • Install MSHA approved Proximity Detection Systems on continuous mining machines. Proximity Detection Single Source
  • Assign another miner to assist the continuous mining machine operator. 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 2011

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On Friday, February 11, 2011, a 55 year old miner with 30 years of mining experience was killed when the fuel and grease service truck he was operating collided head on with a scraper. The two pieces of equipment were traveling in opposite directions. The impact resulted in a fire that engulfed the fuel truck.

Best Practices

  • Inform others when driving a vehicle into a work area.
  • Optimize traffic rules to maximize safe road travel.
  • Obey established traffic rules and signage that apply to the area.
  • Follow established communication procedures.
  • Ensure signage is in place and easily observed.
  • Maintain control of equipment at all times.
  • Ensure all safety systems are maintained, including brakes and steering.

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

Fatality #2 for Coal Mining 2011

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On February 3, 2011, a 49 year old dozer operator, with 2 years mining experience, was killed at a surface area of an underground coal mine. The accident occurred at an access road leading to a gas well plugging site. The victim parked on a grade and dismounted the dozer to assist a truck driver connect a winch cable from the dozer to the water truck. The dozer drifted backward into the water truck, pinning the victim between the truck and the dozer. The parking brake was not set and the blade was not lowered on the dozer.

On March 25, 2011, MSHA Solicitors made a determination that this fatality is not under MSHA jurisdiction, and therefore, not chargeable to the mining industry.

Best Practices

  • Ensure that equipment operators are trained and knowledgeable about equipment operation and the associated hazards.
  • Perform pre-operational equipment checks for defects and repair any defects found before operating equipment.
  • Analyze the job for what needs done and look for what could go wrong. More information can be obtained here: http://www.msha.gov/SLAMRisks/SLAMRISKS.pdf
  • Block dozers against motion by lowering the blade, setting parking brakes, and shutting off the machine.
  • Position equipment on flattest grade possible to connect equipment for towing, and consider positioning the tow machine at a distance and angle that would prevent a rollback collision.
  • Stay in equipment, if equipment has the potential to move.

Additional safety information can be found on Safety Target Packages:

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)