Two recent fires occurred that involved front-end loaders. These fires proved very dangerous to miners and fire fighters because the off-road tires exploded, resulting in a dangerous release of energy. Large off-road tires can throw debris 900 feet when they explode. Although the exploding tires did not injure anyone during these accidents, one front-end loader operator received burns and injuries when he jumped from the loader
Click here for: Safety Flyer (pdf)
COAL MINE FATALITY – On Thursday, July 1, 2010, a 60-year old section electrician was fatally injured when he was run over by a shuttle car. The victim was last seen walking outby the face in a connecting crosscut. As the loaded shuttle car was leaving the continuous miner, the victim was discovered under the shuttle car.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf)
On June 24, 2010, a 29 year old continuous mining machine operator with 12 years experience received fatal injuries when he was caught between the right rib and the remote controlled continuous mining machine he was operating.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).
On June 18, 2010, a 29 year-old contract miner with 6 years of experience was fatally injured at an underground silver mine. The victim was scaling loose ground in a stope when he was struck by falling material approximately 3½ feet long by 2½ feet wide by 2 feet thick.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)
On Wednesday, June 16, 2010, a 42 year old Section Foreman with 17 years of mining experience was fatally injured. While he was installing rib support, a section of rib 12 feet wide x 15 feet 6 inches high x 9 feet thick fell, knocking over a roof jack that struck him.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)
On May 28, 2010, a 59-year-old supervisor with 20 years of experience was fatally injured at an underground gold mine. The victim and another miner entered a blast area when a misfire detonated without warning. The other miner was injured and hospitalized.
Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)
On May 26, 2010, a 28 year-old contract miner with 10 weeks of mining experience was fatally injured at an underground uranium mine. The victim was scaling a rib when he was struck by falling material approximately 11 feet high, 15 feet wide and 4 inches to 30 inches thick.
Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)
On Monday, May 10, 2010, a 55 year old continuous mining machine operator, with approximately 37 years of mining experience, received crushing injuries when he was pinned between a shuttle car and a coal rib. As the loaded shuttle car turned into the last open crosscut, the victim was positioned in the outside turn radius of the shuttle car and was crushed between the shuttle car and the coal rib. The victim passed away on Friday, May 21, 2010 while hospitalized.
Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf)
ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration this week launched its annual roof fall prevention awareness program aimed at reducing the high number of roof falls that occur in the nation’s underground coal mines. Statistics show that more accidents and injuries from roof falls occur during the summer months than at any other time of year. As temperatures rise, humidity and moisture increase underground, making it easier for a mine roof or rib to fall.
“Underground roof falls continue to be a leading cause of coal mining fatalities,” said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “Miners and mine operators are urged to pay attention to roof conditions – not just in summer, but throughout the year.”
Since 2000, there have been 69 coal mining fatalities attributed to “fall of roof or back and fall of face/rib/pillar/side/highwall.” During the agency’s Preventive Roof/Rib Outreach Program, also known as PROP, which runs through September, MSHA personnel will advise operators to examine roof that has weathered due to humid air; communicate immediately with miners when they observe adverse roof conditions; install supplemental support when conditions warrant; scale loose roof in the face area where miners work; and consistently follow the approved roof control plan for their mines.
Beginning this week, federal mine inspectors will distribute educational information including posters and hardhat stickers to remind the coal industry about potential hazards and suggested remedies. MSHA officials will speak directly to miners about the problems warmer weather causes for underground mines and present them with pertinent statistics about the increase in accidents during the warmer weather months.
Click here for: MSHA Press Release (pdf), PROP page
On April 28, 2010, the mine roof collapsed at approximately 10:00 p.m., resulting in fatal injuries to a 27-year old continuous miner operator with 3.5 years total mining experience and a 28-year old miner helper with 2 years total mining experience. The roof fall occurred while the miners were loading rock out of a completed extended cut. The fall measured a maximum of 19’9″ in width and 10′ in height. The length of the fall was approximately 70 to 75′ in length, extending toward the face.
Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf)