COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday, February 18, 2000, an electrical contractor was fatally injured when he contacted 1 phase of a 7200 volt, 3-phase, energized overhead conductor in a high voltage substation. The victim and a company project manager had entered the surface substation to determine how best to remove the defective transformer and prepare it for transportation to a repair facility. The victim had climbed to the top of the de-energized transformer when the back of his head came in contact with the energized conductor.

Photograph of Accident Scene Best Practices All circuits should be de-energized before work is started. Only qualified persons should perform work on electric distribution circuits and equipment. A suitable hard hat should be worn where overhead hazards exist. Submit your own suggestion for a remedy to prevent this type of accident in the future. Please specify if you wish your submission to be anonymous or whether your name may be used. Please include the year of the fatality and the fatality number. This is the fourth fatality reported in calendar year 2000 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 1999, there were four fatalities.

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This bulletin is part of the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) program to alert the mining industry in a timely manner of a tragic loss of life in the mines. We encourage you to consider the above information as you make safety decisions for or recommendations to your company or constituency. The information provided in this notice is based on preliminary data ONLY and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the incident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality.

For more information:
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report