Mine Safety and Health Administration
Protecting Miners' Safety and Health Since 1978
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U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration Protecting Miners' Safety and Health Since 1978 |
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www.msha.gov |  |
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COAL MINE FATALITY -On Wednesday, June 26, 1996, the continuous mining machine helper and a section foreman were observing the remote control continuous mining machineas the machine operator directed the machine in mining the final pushout on a pillar block. After mining four shuttle cars of coal, the roof suddenly began to fall from the crosscut right and into the intersection. The three miners ran from the area. The foreman and miner helper cleared the intersection uninjured, however the continuous mining machine operator was struck and killed by the falling roof. Investigators are evaluating the roof stress potential that might exist as a result of having left portions of some blocks of coal unmined and the absence of a large pillar fall prior to the accident. This is the 18th coal mine fatality in 1996. As of June 26 of last year there had been 19 fatalities. This death is the first classified as FALL OF ROOF in 1996.  Line drawing of the accident sceneFor more information:
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MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL96C18]