On Wednesday, September 26, 2012, a 32-year old section foreman with 12 years of experience was killed by a roof fall at Kopper Glo Mining’s Double Mountain Mine. He was operating the continuous mining machine to excavate a roof cavity in preparation for the installation of a belt conveyor drive. The foreman was positioned approximately 8 feet inby the last row of permanent roof support when a section of the unsupported roof, approximately 6½ feet long, by 6 feet wide, by up to 8 inches thick fell, striking the victim and pinning him to the mine floor.
Best Practices
- Always post the end of permanent roof support with a readily visible warning or physical barrier to impede travel beyond permanent roof support. This serves to alert all miners as they approach a danger zone.
- Never travel beyond permanent roof support.
- Never expose any portion of your body inby the last row of undisturbed permanent roof supports.
- Make frequent, thorough roof examinations and be aware of changing roof conditions at all times.
- Give extra attention to the roof after activities that cause roof disturbance.
- Take extra precautions when cutting out roof support or mining above the normal roof line, such as mining a shorter depth of cut, then install two rows of roof bolts before continuing to mine.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).