On February 6, 2018, a 52-year-old electrician with 13 years of mining experience was fatally injured while working alone performing routine maintenance on a continuous mining machine. A portion of rib, measuring 42 inches long, 28 inches high, and 14 inches thick, fell and struck the victim. He was found between a coal rib and the continuous mining machine.
Best Practices:
- Be aware of potential hazards when working or traveling near mine ribs, especially when geologic conditions, or an increase in mining height, could cause roof or rib hazards. Take additional safety precautions while working in these conditions.
- Correct all hazardous conditions before allowing miners to work and travel in these areas. Adequately support or scale any loose roof or rib material from a safe location. Use a bar of suitable length and design when scaling.
- Train all miners to conduct thorough examinations of the roof, face, and ribs in their work areas, including more frequent examinations when conditions change.
- Install rib bolts with adequate surface area coverage, during the mining cycle, and in a consistent pattern for the best protection against rib falls.
- Know and follow the approved roof control plan. The roof control plan only contains minimum safety requirements. Additional support may be required when roof or rib fractures, or other abnormalities are detected.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).
On Wednesday, March 30, 2017, at 2:09 am, a 33-year-old miner (auger operator/foreman) was fatally injured at a surface auger mine. The miner was struck by a rock that fell from the bottom section of the highwall while changing worn cutter-head bits located at the front of the auger machine. The rock was approximately 4 feet by 5 feet by 30 inches in size.
On July 25, 2016, a 59 year old Excavator Operator, with 17 years of experience, was killed at a limestone quarry. Prior to the accident, the victim was loading shot rock into haul trucks. While waiting for the haul trucks to return, the victim was separating out over sized rocks when the cab of his excavator was struck by falling material from the highwall.
On Friday, March 25, 2016, a 48-year-old continuous mining machine operator, with 30 years of mining experience, was fatally injured when an overhanging section of a rock rib fell and pinned him against the haulage equipment. The fallen rib was approximately 44 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet thick. The victim was remotely operating a continuous mining machine that was being used to excavate material during the construction of a coal transfer shaft. The area where the accident occurred had a depth of cover of approximately 1,950 feet and a height of approximately 17 feet.
On January 16, 2016, a 31 year old continuous mining machine operator with 12 years of mining experience was fatally injured when a section of coal/rock rib measuring 4.5 feet long, 3 feet high, and 3 feet thick fell and pinned him to the mine floor. The victim was remotely operating the continuous miner in the number 2 entry of the advancing section when the accident occurred.
