Coal

Coal Fatality – 3/22/23

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On March 22, 2023, a miner died when the personnel carrier he was riding overturned.  Another miner riding on the personnel carrier accidentally actuated the emergency stop causing the personnel carrier to drift backwards down a grade.  The personnel carrier struck a coal rib and overturned, pinning the victim beneath it.  The victim was not riding in a designated seating area.

Best Practices

  • Maintain steering and braking components.
  • Perform functional tests of brakes and other safety devices during the pre-operational examination.
  • Tag out and remove equipment from service when defects affecting safety are found.
  • Do not exceed the maximum designed seating capacity of personnel carriers. 
  • Operate mobile equipment at speeds consistent with roadway conditions.
  • Task train miners on all equipment they operate.

Additional Information

This is the 14th fatality reported in 2023, and the third classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 3/18/23

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On March 18, 2023, a miner died when the mine roof collapsed during the installation of standing roof support (crib) as part of the longwall recovery cycle.  The accident occurred in an area adjacent to a longwall shield.

Best Practices

  • Follow the approved Roof Control Plan.
  • Design, install, and maintain roof support where miners work or travel.
  • Never travel under unsupported roof. 
  • Conduct a visual examination of the roof, face, and ribs immediately before starting work in an area.
  • Be alert to changing roof conditions, especially during longwall recovery.

Additional Information

This is the 13th fatality reported in 2023, and the first classified as “Fall of Roof or Back.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 10/22/22

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On October 22, 2022, a mine examiner drowned in an underground sump.  The mine examiner was assigned to start pumps in the area.  The float switch box was found open with exposed electrical conductors inside the box.

Best Practices

  • Make sure miners de-energize, lock out, and tag out equipment before entering an area to perform repairs or maintenance.
  • Make sure miners have communication systems available when assigned to work alone.
  • Operators must conduct required examinations from safe locations to identify hazards, correct hazards, notify miners, and record hazards.

Additional Information

This is the 26th fatality reported in 2022, and the third classified as “Drowning.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 9/1/22

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On September 1, 2022, a roof bolter was electrocuted when he contacted a metal hook that became energized after it penetrated the 480-volt cable that supplied electrical power to a roof bolting machine.

Best Practices: 

  • Make sure miners use suitable, non-conductive ropes when pulling or handling electrical cables. 
  • Never attach conductive parts, such as metallic hooks, to the portions of non-conductive ropes that contact electrical cables.
  • Make sure miners use proper Personal Protective Equipment when handling cables, such as insulated gloves.

Additional Information: 

This is the 20th fatality reported in 2022, and the first classified as “Electrical.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 8/23/22

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MINE FATALITY – On August 23, 2022, a contract mechanic received fatal injuries while performing maintenance on the bucket (dipper) of an electric rope shovel.  A plastic block, used to prop open the dipper door, dislodged causing the dipper door to close and pin the victim against the back edge of the dipper.

Best Practices: 

  • Make sure miners are positioned in a safe location and away from potential pinch point areas.
  • Make sure miners securely block equipment against motion before beginning maintenance or repairs. 
  • Assure blocking material is substantial and installed correctly to support and stabilize the load.
  • Make sure miners conduct repairs according to manufacturer’s recommendations.

Additional Information: 

This is the 19th fatality reported in 2022, and the eighth classified as “Machinery.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 8/17/22

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MINE FATALITY – On August 17, 2022, a general inside laborer died when he was caught between a supply car and its coupler.  The victim was sitting on the supply car which was coupled to a locomotive parked in a track spur.  The locomotive was struck by another locomotive pulling three loaded cars into the mine.  The impact knocked the victim off the supply car, killing him.

Best Practices: 

  • Assure track switches are in the proper position for your direction of travel and the latches are in contact with the rail.
  • Make sure miners are in a safe location away from equipment parked in a track spur when other equipment is passing along the main rail line.
  • Make sure miners communicate their location and intended movements with the dispatcher.  Repeat the switch alignment back to the dispatcher, where applicable.

Additional Information: 

This is the 18th fatality reported in 2022, and the fourth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 3/20/22

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On March 20, 2022, a 33 year-old miner died when he was struck by a roof fall while moving a waterline outby the retreat mining section.  The intersection of the fall area was supported with five-foot fully grouted roof bolts and 10-foot cable bolts.  The roof fall was approximately 40 feet long, 18 feet wide, and five feet thick. 

Best Practices: 

  • Conduct a visual examination of the roof, face, and ribs immediately before any work is started in an area.
  • Be alert to changing roof conditions, especially during retreat mining.
  • Train miners on how to identify hazardous roof and rib conditions.

Additional Information: 

This is the 11th fatality reported in 2022, and the second classified as “Fall of Roof or Back.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 3/2/22

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On March 2, 2022, a miner was fatally injured when an overhang along the mine rib fell, striking the miner and pushing him against the canopy of a twin boom roof bolting machine.  The miner freed himself from the fall, but later died. 

Best Practices: 

  • Remove overhangs with the continuous mining machine.
  • Install support of proper length with surface area coverage, on cycle, and in a consistent pattern for the best protection against falls.
  • Examine the roof, face, and ribs immediately before starting work in an area where people work and travel, including sound and vibration testing where applicable.
  • Scale loose roof and ribs from a safe location.  Prevent access to hazardous areas until you take corrective measures.
  • Take additional safety precautions when encountering new and changing roof and rib conditions.
  • Train miners on how to identify hazardous roof and rib conditions.

Additional Information: 

This is the ninth fatality reported in 2022, and the first classified as “Fall of Face, Rib, Side, or Highwall.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 2/28/22

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On February 28, 2022, a contract miner died when he was crushed between the rib and a single boom face drill.  The victim was alongside the drill using the onboard tram lever controls when the accident occurred because the remote control was inoperable.

Best Practices: 

  • Mobile equipment shall be maintained in safe operating condition.  Immediately remove mobile equipment in unsafe condition from service.
  • Always operate mobile equipment from a safe location.  Use the remote control or operate from within the operator’s compartment if available.
  • Determine the proper working position to avoid pinch points and Red Zone areas.
  • Train miners on the safety aspects and safe operating procedures of mobile equipment before use.  Review and discuss pinch points and Red Zone locations.

Additional Information: 

This is the eighth fatality reported in 2022, and the third classified as “Machinery.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 1/14/22

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On January 14, 2022, a 44-year-old contract laborer with 13 years of total experience received fatal injuries when he fell 27 feet to a concrete surface.  At the time of the accident, the contractor was on a belt conveyor in a preparation plant and was working to replace a belt conveyor roller. 

Best Practices: 

  • Establish and follow safety policies and procedures, when working at heights.
  • Train miners to use fall protection when a fall hazard exists.
  • Ensure fall protection is available and properly maintained.
  • Provide identifiable and secure anchor points to attach lanyards and lifelines.
  • Provide mobile or stationary platforms—or scaffolding—where there is a risk of falling.

Additional Information: 

This is the fourth fatality reported in 2022, and the first classified as “Slip or Fall of Person”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).