Underground

Coal Fatality – 2/10/20 – Rescinded

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On February 10, 2020, a mine examiner was operating a personnel carrier down a mine intake slope. Evidence indicates that the personnel carrier struck the left rib while traveling down the intake slope. The mine examiner was found unresponsive near the bottom of the slope, lying beside the personnel carrier.

Best Practices: 

  • Maintain control and stay alert. Be aware and stay in control when operating mobile equipment. Install mechanical devices that limit the maximum speed of the equipment.
  • Operate mobile equipment safely. Operate equipment at speeds that are consistent with the type of equipment, roadway conditions, grades, clearances, and visibility.
  • Test brakes, steering, and other safety devices. Correct safety defects before operating mobile equipment. Test mobile equipment before it is operated and before going up or down steep slopes.
  • Always wear seat belts.
  • Properly train miners. Ensure each operator of mobile equipment receives proper task training.
  • Remove unneeded materials. Keep personnel carriers free of unneeded materials.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)

Rescission Date:  August 5, 2020
MSHA’s Chargeability Review Committee reviewed the death certificate, autopsy report, medical information, and MSHA’s accident investigation findings and determined that the miner died from natural causes.  The  fatality is not chargeable to the mine operator.

2019 Fatality #24 / Coal #11

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On December 23, 2019, a miner was fatally injured while attempting to remove a splice pin from a 72-inch mainline conveyor belt splice.  A belt clamp and racket-style chain come along failed, releasing stored energy and causing the belt to shift upward and pin the miner against the frame of the belt tailpiece.

Best Practices: 

  • Identify, isolate, and control stored energy: mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and gravitational. Relieve belt tension by releasing the energy at the take-up/belt storage system.
  • Check your environment. Always be aware of an object in your work location that could move if stored energy is released.
  • Check your equipment. Ensure belt clamps and other blocking equipment are substantial and properly rated for preventing conveyor belt movement.
  • Securely install, anchor, inspect, and test blocking equipment to ensure that it is able to prevent movement.
  • Conduct complete and thorough examinations from safe locations to identify hazards and items needing maintenance or repair.
  • Ensure miners are trained on safe work procedures. Develop step-by-step procedures and review them with all miners before they perform non-routine maintenance tasks such as adding or removing conveyor belt.
  • Properly block belts to secure components against motion.
  • De-energize electrical power and lock and tag the visual disconnect before beginning a belt splice.
  • Never use the start and stop controls (belt switches). This switch does not disconnect the power conductors.
  • Lock out and tag out disconnecting devices. Only the person who installed them can remove the lock and tag, and only after completing the work.
  • Talk to your coworkers. After the splice has been completed and before removing your lock and tag, ensure everyone is clear of the conveyor belt and communicate to others that you will be restarting the belt.

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

2019 Fatality #19 / Coal #9

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On September 5, 2019, a continuous mining machine helper was fatally injured when he was struck by a battery-powered scoop. The victim was in the #3 entry behind a wing curtain that provided ventilation to the #3 right crosscut being mined. The scoop was trammed through the #3 left crosscut and struck the victim as it made a right-hand turn and passed through the wing curtain.

Best Practices: 

  • Install and maintain proximity detection systems on mobile section equipment.
  • Before operating mobile equipment, inform miners of your travel route – especially if changes are being made. Proceed with caution and watch for miners on foot.
  • STOP and SOUND an audible warning device before tramming equipment through ventilation curtains.
  • STAY ALERT around mobile section equipment. Communicate your presence and intended movements to equipment operators.
  • Use transparent curtains for ventilation controls on working sections.
  • Be aware that noise can cause moving equipment to not be heard.

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

2019 Fatality #20 / Coal #10

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On September 17, 2019, an electrician was electrocuted when he contacted an energized conductor. The victim contacted a 995 VAC connector while attempting to troubleshoot the scrubber motor circuit on a continuous mining machine.

Best Practices: 

  • Lock out and tag out the electrical circuit yourself. Never rely on others to do this for you.
  • BEFORE performing electrical work:
    • Open the circuit breaker or load break switch away from the enclosure to de-energize the incoming power cables or conductors.
    • Open the visual disconnect away from the enclosure to confirm that the incoming power cables or conductors have been de-energized.
    • Lock out and tag out the visual disconnect.
    • Ground the de-energized phase conductors.
  • Wear properly rated and well maintained electrical gloves when troubleshooting or testing energized circuits.  After the electrical problem has been found, follow the proper steps before performing electrical work.
  • Use properly rated electrical meters and non-contact voltage testers to ensure electrical circuits have been de-energized.
  • Only use qualified, trained workers. Ensure electrical work is performed by a qualified electrician or someone trained to do electrical work under a qualified electrician’s direct supervision.
  • Identify circuits and circuit breakers. Properly identify all electrical circuits and circuit breakers before troubleshooting or performing electrical work.

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

2019 Fatality #18 / Coal #8

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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).

2019 Fatality #16 / MNM #10

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On Friday August 15, 2019, a 44-year-old contract electrician with 10 weeks of mining experience was electrocuted when he contacted a 120V cable while working inside a fire suppression system’s electrical panel.

Best Practices: 

  • Ensure miners receive proper training on all electrical related tasks. 
  • Ensure that circuit breakers and switches are properly labeled.
  • Properly lock-out and tag-out electrical circuits prior to working on them.
  • Wear properly rated and well maintained personal protective equipment while troubleshooting or testing energized circuits. 
  • Use properly insulated tools when performing electrical work.
  • Use properly rated electrical meters and non-contact voltage testers to ensure electrical circuits have been de-energized prior to performing electrical work. 

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

2019 Fatality #13 / Coal #5

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On Wednesday, July 31, 2019, a 62-year-old contractor with 30 years of mining experience sustained fatal injuries when three methane ignitions occurred in an air shaft. The victim and three contractors were preparing to seal the intake air shaft of an underground mine. At the time of the ignitions, the victim was trimming metal so that it would fit inside wooden forms and was in direct line of the ignition forces.

Best Practices: 

  • Do not use cutting torches near unventilated air shafts.  Allow no sparking or hot metal from grinding or torching to drop into an air shaft opening.  Install non-combustible barriers below welding, cutting, or soldering operations in or over a shaft. 
  • Conduct proper examinations for methane immediately before and during welding, cutting, soldering or using any spark causing tool (grinder, drills, etc.), especially in areas likely to contain methane.  At an air shaft, monitor for methane continuously, at appropriate levels, including the bottom of the air shaft.
  • Use properly calibrated methane detectors that can detect concentrations greater than 5%.
  • Be aware of potential hazards when working around a shaft opening. Take additional safety precautions when the barometric pressure changes.
  • Continuously ventilate an air shaft until the last moment before pouring concrete to seal the shaft.
  • Make sure all employees are tied off while working around the shaft opening.
  • Provide adequate training on the characteristics of mine gases and in the use of handheld gas detectors, including the use of extendable probes or pumps.

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

2019 Fatality #8 / Coal #4

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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).

Coal Fatality – 1/14/19

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On Monday, January 14, 2019, a 56-year-old survey crew member with approximately 30 years of mining experience was fatally injured after he was struck by a loaded shuttle car. The victim was measuring the mining height in an entry that was part of the travelway used by the shuttle car to access the section feeder.
Best Practices:

  • Before performing work in an active haulage travelway, communicate your position and intended movements to mobile equipment operators and park mobile equipment until work has been completed.
  • Never assume mobile equipment operators can see you.  Always wear reflective clothing and permissible strobe lights to ensure high visibility when traveling or working where mobile equipment is operating.
  • Be aware of blind spots on mobile equipment when traveling in the same areas where mobile equipment operates.
  • Place visible warning and barrier devices at all entrances to areas prior to performing work in active travelways of mobile equipment.
  • Operate mobile equipment at safe speeds and sound audible warnings when visibility is obstructed, making turns, reversing direction, etc.  Ensure sound levels of audible warnings are significantly higher than ambient noise.
  • Ensure directional lights are on when equipment is being operated.  Maintain all lights provided on mobile equipment in proper working condition at all times.

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

Coal Fatality – 1/5/19

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On Saturday, January 5, 2019, a 55-year-old contract miner received fatal injuries when he was pinned between a pneumatically powered air lock equipment door and the concrete rib barrier located near the shaft bottom.
Best Practices:

  • Design and maintain ventilation controls, including airlock doors to provide air separation and permit travel between or within air courses or entries.
  • Ensure that airlock doors are designed and maintained to prevent simultaneous opening of both sets of doors.
  • Ensure miners are trained in the proper use of automatic doors and procedures to follow in the event the doors malfunction.
  • Provide means to override automatic airlock doors and allow manual operation in case of an emergency.
  • Keep the path of automatic doors clear of miners and equipment.
  • When changes in ventilation are made, test automatic doors to ensure they operate safely under the new conditions.
  • Perform thorough examinations of airlock doors to assure safe operating conditions.  When a hazardous condition is found, remove the doors from service until they are repaired.

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