• Use equipment only for its intended purpose. Man-lifts are not cranes!
• Wear safety belts and lines where there is a danger of falling. All persons in man-lift type buckets should be tied off using a short lanyard regardless of the activity they are performing.
• Routinely monitor work habits and strictly enforce compliance with established safe work procedures to ensure that personal protective equipment is used.
• Ensure that equipment operators are properly trained and know the rated capacity, limitations, and appropriate use of the equipment.

	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 third fatality reported in the coal mining industry for calendar year 2004. Six fatalities had been reported in the coal mining industry as of the accident date in 2003. This is the 2nd machinery fatality for 2004, whereas at this time in 2003, no machinery fatalities had been reported.

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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