Underground

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).

Fatality #10 for Coal 2018

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c1810-fatalOn Thursday, December 20, 2018, a mobile bridge carrier (MBC) operator, with 5 years and 21 weeks of mining experience, was fatally injured while operating his detached, remote-controlled machine during the mining process.  As the continuous haulage system pulled forward in preparation of mining, he was crushed between the coal rib and the No. 2 mobile bridge conveyor that was between both mobile bridge carriers.
Best Practices: 

  • Maintain communications between equipment operators of a continuous haulage system prior to starting or tramming any component of the system.
  • Institute and maintain a high level of equipment-specific training for all operators, which includes proper operator positioning during machine operation and also protocols for certain scenarios.
  • Do not position yourself in pinch-point areas while remotely operating equipment.  Ensure that equipment operators remain in the confines of the equipment cab, if equipped, while the machine is running.
  • Always perform thorough pre-operational examinations on mobile equipment to identify any defects that may affect the safe operation of equipment before it is placed into service.
  • Be familiar with the de-energizing switches on your machine and remote-control unit. “Panic-out” at the first sign of a hazardous situation.

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

Fatality #16 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2018

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On November 11, 2018, a 45-year old Underground Technician with 4 years of experience was killed when the Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) machine he had been operating underground ran over him.

Best Practices

  • Ensure that all braking systems installed on mobile equipment function properly when the engine is operating and when it is shut off.  Do not depend on hydraulic systems to hold mobile equipment in a stationary position
  • Block LHDs against motion by setting the parking brake. Turn the tires toward the rib and lower the bucket onto the floor.  Use wheel chocks when parking mobile equipment.
  • Conduct adequate pre-operational examinations on all self-propelled mobile equipment and promptly correct any defects affecting safety.
  • Before beginning a task, miners should discuss the work procedures, identify all possible hazards, and ensure steps are taken to safely perform the task.

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

Fatality #14 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2018

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On October 25, 2018, a 42-year old miner with 13 years of experience was killed when the back fell while he was loading explosives in the face.  The back was comprised of cemented backfill and weighed approximately 150 tons.

Best Practices

  • Implement a robust quality control program to ensure cemented rock fill is mixed and placed properly, especially when it constitutes the main method of ground support.
  • Examine and test ground conditions in areas where work is to be performed prior to work commencing and as warranted during the shift.  Be alert for changing conditions, especially after activities that could cause back/roof disturbance.
  • When ground conditions create a hazard to persons, install additional ground support before other work is permitted in the affected area.
  • Task train all persons to recognize all potentially hazardous conditions and ensure they understand safe job procedures for elimination of the hazards.

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

Fatality #10 for Metal/Nonmetal Mining 2018

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On October 2, 2018, a 40-year old miner with 20 years of experience was fatally injured when struck by stemming sand ejected from a borehole.  While conducting a blasting operation in a new vertical raise, a contract foreman was attempting to clean out a previously blasted vertical borehole with high-pressure air.  A sudden release of energy forced stemming sand from the bottom of the borehole, striking the miner.

Best Practices

  • Assess the suitability of blasting methods when blasts do not perform as intended.
  • Use water to clean out the bottom of boreholes used for blasting.
  • Never position yourself directly over or in front of the collar of a borehole when cleaning it out.
  • Ensure miners are adequately task trained.

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