Mining Fatalities

MNM Fatality – 7/26/21

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On July 26, 2021, a 33 year old contract iron worker with 8 years 13 weeks experience*, who was not wearing fall protection, was performing maintenance on a cement cooler at a mine in Stockertown, PA with 128 employees* when a wooden board broke, causing him to fall 23 feet onto a concrete floor.

Best Practices: 

  • Assure a safe means of access is provided and maintained to all working places.  Use personnel lifts or ladders to access elevated work areas safely.
  • Use fall protection when a fall hazard exists.  Ensure fall protection has a suitable fall arrest and secure anchorage system.
  • Examine work areas, tools, and equipment. Report and correct defects. Do not use unsafe equipment.
  • Assess risks and eliminate or control hazards before beginning maintenance activities. Do not place yourself in a position that will expose you to hazards while performing a task.
  • Train miners and ensure they perform work safely, use tools properly, and utilize personal protective equipment correctly.

Additional Information: 

This is the 20th fatality reported in 2021, and the second classified as “Slip or Fall of Person.”(*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

July Fatality Updates

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Final Reports posted:

Fatalities awaiting Fatality Alert to be posted:

  • 7/26/21 MNM – Slip or Fall of Person
  • 7/28/21 MNM – Falling or Sliding Material

Fatalities awaiting Final Report to be posted:

Coal Fatality – 7/21/21

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On July 21, 2021, a 31 year old millwright with 13 years experience* received fatal injuries at a mine in Wright, WY with 899 employees* while adding a boom extension to a crane.  The miner was working under the boom to remove the boom pins when he was struck by the boom.

Best Practices: 

  • Never perform work under raised machinery or equipment until such machinery or equipment has been securely braced in position, blocked and  secured against motion.  Be alert for hazards that may be created while the work is being performed. 
  • Conduct repairs from a safe location per manufacturer’s recommendations.  Verify the release of all stored energy before initiating repairs.
  • Use a lifting device compatible with the load being lifted and ensure blocking material is competent, substantial, and adequate to support and stabilize the load.  Always use the manufacturer’s safety devices or features to secure components against motion, and secure assemblies that rotate to prevent movement.
  • Establish and discuss safe work procedures before starting any task.  Train miners in safe work procedures and hazard recognition.  Monitor personnel routinely to ensure safe work procedures are being followed.

Additional Information: 

This is the 19th fatality reported in 2021, and the fourth classified as “Machinery.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

MNM Fatality – 7/13/21

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On July 13, 2021, a rock falling from a pillar in a benched area at a room-and-pillar zinc mine with 88 employees in Strawberry Plains, TN, struck a 68 year old scaler operator with 10 years and 40 weeks experience*. The miner was in a personnel lift basket near ground level to load blasting supplies.  The rock fell from a height of approximately 40 feet, striking the basket. 

Best Practices: 

  • Support or remove loose material from a safe position before beginning work.
  • Design, install, and maintain the ground support to control the ground where people work or travel, after blasting, and as ground conditions warrant.
  • Use scaling equipment capable of maintaining safe ground conditions suitable for the mining dimensions.
  • Establish safe work procedures to ensure a safe work location for miners conducting scaling operations.  Train all miners to recognize hazards and understand these procedures.
  • Perform thorough workplace examinations where miners work or travel.
  • Be alert for changing conditions, especially after activities that could cause back/roof disturbance.

Additional Information: 

This is the 18th fatality reported in 2021, and the second classified as “Fall of Face/Rib/Highwall.”  (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

MNM Fatality – 6/9/21

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On June 9, 2021, two miners, a 55 year old foreman with 24 years of experience and a 65 year old supervisor with 42 years’ experience*, were fatally injured at a mine with 1062 employees*, when a locomotive collided with the personnel carrier in which they were riding. 

Best Practices: 

  • Install lights or other engineering controls to let miners know when it is safe to travel on track haulageways.
  • Implement a communicaton system so that one person, who is not on any mobile equipment, has the sole authority to authorize travel on track haulageways.
  • Establish and maintain effective communication protocols that require identification, location and intended travel, between locomotives, light vehicles and foot traffic.
  • Train miners on proper traffic patterns and procedures.

Additional Information: 

These are the 16th and 17th fatalities reported in 2021, and the 8th and 9th classified as “Powered Haulage.”  (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

MNM Fatality – 6/7/21

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On June 7, 2021, at a mine with 25 employees*, a 56 year old hopper operator with 6 years and 36 weeks experience* entered the top of a primary feed hopper to break up and remove a large rock. Raw material that remained on the sides of the hopper sloughed off and engulfed the miner.

Best Practices: 

  • Equip hoppers with mechanical devices, grates/grizzlies or other effective means of handling material so miners are not required to enter or work where they are exposed to entrapment by caving or sliding material.
  • Establish and assure policies and procedures are followed to safely remove blockages in bins and hoppers. Follow manufacturer recommendations.
  • Provide a safe means of access that allows miners to safely conduct tasks such as removing large rocks and other material.
  • Wear an appropriate safety harness, lanyard and lifeline which are securely anchored and constantly monitored and adjusted by another person, as needed, prior to entering bins or hoppers.
  • Train miners in safe work procedures and hazard recognition especially when removing blockages in bins or hoppers.

Additional Information: 

This is the 15th fatality reported in 2021, and the second classified as “Handling Material.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

Coal Fatality – 6/3/21

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On Thursday, June 3, 2021, a 42-year-old section foreman with 16 years 40 weeks of experience* was fatally injured when he was hit by a shuttle car at an underground mine with 115 employees.* The victim was struck when he walked into the path of a loaded shuttle car that was traveling to the dump point. 

Best Practices: 

•    Install proximity detection systems on mobile equipment to protect personnel and eliminate accidents of this type.
•    Be aware of your location in relation to movement of equipment, especially in lower seams.
•    Sound audible warnings, distinguishable from surrounding noise, and reduce speed when approaching and before traveling through check curtains.  Wear reflective clothing or strobe lights to aid visibility when working around mobile equipment.
•    Assure all personnel are clear of the traveling path and turning radius before moving equipment.
•    Train miners and equipment operators to communicate their location and wait for acknowledgement before moving.Additional Information: 

This is the fourteenth fatality reported in 2021, and the seventh fatality classified as “Powered Haulage.”  (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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

Coal Fatality – 6/2/21

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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).

MNM Fatality – 5/18/21

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On May 18, 2021, a telehandler at an underground mine with 113 employees and 7 contract employees* was towing a trailer with a diesel pump onboard up an inclined underground roadway when the tow hitch suddenly broke. The trailer rolled down the roadway, striking and fatally injuring a 35 year old* contract laborer with 1 year experience*.

Best Practices: 

  • Use towing hardware (hitches, tow bars, receivers, couplers, pins, pintles, safety chains/cables, etc.) which is properly designed and rated. Before each use, examine towing hardware for wear, cracks and other damage. 
  • Never exceed the recommended maximum towing capacity of a tow vehicle or trailer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and only use equipment designed for towing.
  • Always use properly sized safety chains in conjunction with hitches. Safety chains keep the trailer connected to the tow vehicle in case the other tow hardware fails.
  • Never position yourself directly behind equipment being towed uphill.
  • Establish procedures for safe and proper towing. Train miners to follow these procedures and identify hazards associated with towing.

Additional Information: 

This is the 12th fatality reported in 2021, and the third classified as “Machinery.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), final report (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 5/14/21

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On May 14, 2021, a 32 year old* continuous mining machine operator with 11 years experience* was fatally injured when a piece of rock fell from the roof and struck him at an underground coal mine with 17 employees*. The victim was working under unsupported roof in the Number 1 entry.

Best Practices: 

  • Never work or travel under unsupported roof.  
  • Thoroughly examine the roof, face and ribs where people will be working and traveling, including sound and vibration testing.
  • Scale loose roof and ribs from a safe location. Prevent access to unsupported and hazardous areas until appropriate corrective measures can be taken.
  • Follow the approved roof control plan and provide additional support when cracks or other abnormalities are detected. Never exceed the maximum cut depth specified in the approved roof control plan.
  • Mark the second to last row of bolts with reflective material and train miners not to travel inby this location.
  • Train miners to identify hazards from the roof, face and ribs.

Additional Information: 

This is the 11th fatality reported in 2021, and the first classified as “Fall of Roof or Back.” (*details added by safeminers.com from MSHA data.)

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