Underground

Fatality #11 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2010

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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.

Best Practices

  • Examine, sound, and test for loose ground in areas before starting to work, after blasting, and as ground conditions warrant.
  • Train all persons to scale loose material safely.
  • Communicate unsafe ground conditions to all affected miners.
  • Perform manual scaling from a location which will not expose persons to injury from falling material.
  • When manually scaling, use scaling bars of a length and design that will allow the removal of loose material without exposing persons to the risk of injury.
  • Install ground support where conditions warrant.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)

Fatality #38 for Coal Mining 2010

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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.

Best Practices

  • Conduct roof evaluations when entering a previously mined area for the purpose of pillar recovery.
  • Support loose ribs or roof adequately or scale down material before beginning work.
  • Conduct thorough pre-shift examinations and on-shift examinations of the roof, face, and ribs immediately before work or travel is in an area and thereafter as conditions warrant.
  • Know and follow the approved roof control plan. Take additional measures to protect persons if unusual hazards are encountered.
  • Assure the roof control plan is suitable for prevailing geologic conditions. Revise the plan if conditions change and the support system is not adequate to control the roof, face, and ribs.
  • Be alert to changing geological conditions which may affect roof, rib, and face conditions.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)

Fatality #9 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2010

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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.

Best Practices

  • Follow the manufacturers’ guidelines for the storage and usage of explosives.
  • Keep explosives storage areas clean, dry and orderly.
  • Properly rotate explosive stock to use oldest stock first.
  • Never use damaged/deteriorated/outdated explosives, initiation devices, or blasting agents.
  • Wait a minimum of the required times before entering the blast area when either a misfire and/or burning explosives are a possibility.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview (pdf),  Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)

Fatality #8 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2010

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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.

Best Practices

  • Always examine, sound and test for loose ground in areas before starting to work, after blasting, and as ground conditions warrant.
  • Train all persons to scale loose material safely.
  • Always perform manual scaling from a safe location.
  • When manually scaling, use scaling bars of a length and design that allow the removal of loose material without exposing the persons performing the work.
  • Install ground support in ribs where conditions warrant.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)

Fatality #36 for Coal Mining 2010

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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.

Best Practices

  • Make a visual check to ensure all persons are in the clear, and sound the warning device before mobile equipment is trammed, especially in areas where visibility is limited.
  • Ensure good communication between continuous mining machine operators and shuttle car operators so that each is aware of each other’s movements.
  • Wear reflective clothing to aid visibility when working around mobile equipment.
  • Use approved translucent curtains made to allow mobile equipment to tram through.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf)

Most Roof Failures Occur During Warmer Weather

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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

Fatality #34 & 35 for Coal Mining 2010

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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.

Best Practices

  • Assess and examine the adequacy of roof control systems and mining layout for local geology. Know and follow the approved roof control plan.
  • Always conduct a thorough visual examination of the roof, face and ribs immediately before work is performed and thereafter as conditions dictate.
  • When adverse or subnormal roof conditions are present, the mining cut depth should be limited to 20 feet or less. Be alert to changing roof conditions at all times.
  • Ensure that any past roof control issues or history of adverse conditions in adjacent previously mined areas are communicated to all miners and foremen.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf)

Fatality #33 for Coal Mining 2010

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On Thursday, April 22, 2010, a 28-year old continuous mining machine operator with 5 years of experience was fatally injured when he was crushed between the conveyor boom of the continuous mining machine and the coal rib. The victim was located near the continuous mining machine while positioning it. The mining height in this area was approximately five feet.

Best Practices

  • Ensure the continuous mining machine operator is positioned beyond the turning radius, and away from the conveyor boom turning radius before starting or moving the equipment.
  • Frequently review, retrain, and discuss avoiding the “RED ZONE” areas when operating or working near a remote controlled continuous mining machine.
  • Pursue new technology, such as proximity detection, to protect personnel from accidents of this type. See the proximity detection single source page on the MSHA web site.
  • Minimize the number of miners working or traveling near continuous mining machines and maintain effective communications between miners and equipment operators.
  • Train all productions crews and management in programs, policies, and procedures for operating remote controlled continuous mining machines.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)

Fatality #3 – #31 for Coal Mining 2010

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On Monday, April 5, 2010, 29 miners were fatally injured and 2 miners received serious injuries when an explosion occurred in a large underground coal mine. The victims were located in different areas of the mine, some on their way out of the mine and others were involved with mining activities.

Best Practices

The following best practices are generally applicable to underground mining. An investigation is ongoing at Upper Big Branch which will determine the root cause(s) of the explosion on April 5, 2010.

  • EFFECTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM – Properly design, frequently examine, and properly maintain a ventilation system that is effective at all times for all areas of the mine. This is the first line of defense against an explosion. Maintain proper air quality in bleeders for examiners.
  • ADEQUATE ROCK DUST – Apply rock dust liberally, even in wet areas, in all faces and outby areas. Maintain the applications to prevent the propagation of coal dust explosions.
  • PROPER EXAMINATIONS and IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS – Conduct proper pre-shift, on-shift, supplemental, and electrical examinations. Immediately eliminate hazards involving inadequate ventilation, insufficient rock dust, methane accumulations, and permissibility violations.
  • METHANE AND OXYGEN CHECKS – Make frequent methane and oxygen measurements, especially during periods of rapid decline in barometric pressure.
  • COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL – Clean up loose coal, coal dust, and other combustible material. The possibility of an explosion or fire can be diminished by reducing the fuel supply.
  • WATER SPRAYS and DUST COLLECTORS – Water sprays and dust collectors reduce the fuel available for a potential fire or explosion.
  • ESCAPEWAYS – Conduct escapeway drills and maintain escapeways in safe condition and assure that lifelines are being maintained.
  • ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING SYSTEMS (AMS) – Utilize AMS to monitor strategic locations for carbon monoxide, oxygen content, methane content, and air volumes.

Click here for: Single Source page MSHA Online (web page), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)

Fatality #2 for Coal Mining 2010

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On Friday, January 22, 2010, at approximately 9:15 a.m., a 29 year old continuous miner operator with 12 years of mining experience was fatally injured when a rib roll, approximately 70 inches high, 63 inches long, and 103 inches wide, occurred. The victim was operating a remote control continuous mining machine to clean a previously bolted crosscut when he was struck by the coal rib and pinned against the mine floor.

Best Practices

  • Conduct a thorough visual examination of the roof, face, and ribs immediately before any work or travel is started in an area and thereafter as conditions warrant.
  • Adequately support or scale any loose rib or roof material before beginning work.
  • Perform careful examinations of pillar corners, particularly where the angles formed between entries and crosscuts are less than 90 degrees.
  • Permanently support openings that create an intersection before any work or travel in the intersection.
  • Be alert to changing geologic conditions which may affect roof/rib conditions.

Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (doc)