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).

On June 2, 2021, a 26-year-old section foreman with five years of mining experience at an underground mine with 462 employees* was pinned against a continuous mining machine by a piece of rib. The piece fell while he was installing a rib bolt with the machine mounted rib drill.

Best Practices: 

• Support loose roof and rib material adequately or scale loose material from a safe location before working or traveling in an area.
• Examine the roof, face and ribs immediately before starting work in an area and throughout the shift as conditions warrant.
• Take additional safety precautions when mining heights increase and in areas where mine conditions change.
• Train miners to recognize roof and rib hazards and to stop work in the area until the hazards are corrected.

Additional Information: 

This is the 13th fatality reported in 2021, and the first classified as “Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

A miner was repairing a personnel carrier while standing between a rib and the carrier. A section of the adjacent rib corner, weighing approximately 1,250 pounds, fell on the miner causing severe injuries. The miner died 16 days later.

Best Practices: 

1. Make roof control plans that contain safety requirements. Rib support may be necessary when the mining height increases, when rock partings are present in the rib, or when encountering deeper cover.
2. Mine operators must control roof and rib conditions. Plans should include provisions requiring that mine operators recognize adverse or changing roof and rib conditions.
3. Be aware of potential hazards when working or traveling near mine ribs, especially when geologic conditions could cause rib hazards.
4. Pay attention to deteriorating roof and rib conditions when working in, or traveling through, older areas of mines.
5. Avoid areas of close clearance between ribs and equipment.
6. Train all miners to conduct thorough examinations of the roof, face and ribs where miners will be working and traveling.
7. Conduct frequent examinations in areas where mine conditions change.
8. Correct all hazardous conditions before allowing miners to work or travel near them.
9. Adequately support loose ribs or scale loose rib material from a safe location using a bar of suitable length and design.
10. Install rib bolts on cycle, with adequate surface coverage, and in a consistent pattern.

This is the 26th fatality reported in 2019, and the third fatality classified as “Fall of Face, Rib, Pillar or Highwall.”

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

On August 29, 2019, a 25 year-old section foreman with 6 years of mining experience was fatally injured while exiting the longwall face. The victim was struck and covered by a portion of mine rib measuring 25 feet in length, 3 feet in depth, and 8 ½ feet in height.

Best Practices: 

• Be aware of potential hazards when working or traveling near mine ribs.
• Take additional safety precautions when geologic conditions, or an increase in mining height, could cause roof or rib hazards.
• Train all miners to conduct thorough and more frequent examinations of the roof, face, and ribs when miners work or travel close to the longwall face.  Continuously monitor for changing conditions.
• Install rib supports of proper length with surface area coverage, on cycle, and in a consistent pattern for the best protection against rib falls.

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

On May 22, 2019, a 48-year-old continuous mining machine operator with 12 years of experience was severely injured when a section of coal/rock rib measuring, 48 to 54” long, 24” wide, and 28” thick, fell and pinned him to the mine floor. At the time of the accident, the victim was in the process of taking the second cut of a crosscut and was moving the mining machine cable that was adjacent to the coal/rock rib. The victim was hospitalized and due to complications associated with his injuries, passed away 8 days later.

Best Practices: 

• Install rib bolts with adequate surface area coverage, during the mining cycle, and in a consistent pattern for the best protection against rib falls.
• Follow the requirements in the approved roof control plan, and remember it contains minimum safety requirements.  Install additional support when rib fractures or other abnormalities are detected.  Revise the plan if conditions change and cause the support system to no longer be adequate.
• Be aware of potential hazards when working or traveling near mine ribs, especially when geologic conditions (such as thick in-seam rock partings) could cause rib hazards.  Take additional safety precautions while working in these conditions.  Correct all hazardous conditions before allowing miners to work or travel in these areas.
• Perform complete and thorough examinations of pillar corners, particularly where the angle formed between an entry and a crosscut is less than 90 degrees.
• Adequately support loose ribs or scale loose rib material from a safe location using a bar of suitable length and design.
• Task train all miners to conduct thorough examinations of the roof, face, and ribs where persons will be working or traveling and to correct all hazardous conditions before miners work or travel in such areas.  Continuously watch for changing conditions and conduct more frequent examinations when abnormal conditions are present.

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

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.