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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Monday, July 2, 2007, a 59 year old bulldozer operator with over 35 years experience was fatally injured when he was struck by a pickup truck. The victim and two other operators were near their equipment when a foreman instructed them to move in preparation for a blast. The victim was apparently walking back to his bulldozer when the foreman, who was using the truck's side mirrors to drive, backed over him.

Photo Showing Accident Scene Described in Paragraph Above


Best Practices
  • Ensure a travel lane is clear before moving a vehicle. Train miners to not walk or stand in travel lanes.
  • When backing up, look over your shoulder to eliminate blind spots. When using mirrors, use all available mirrors.
  • Do not travel long distances in reverse, and when able, turn the vehicle around to drive in a forward direction.
  • Install "rear viewing" cameras on vehicles.
  • Sound horns before moving equipment in areas where miners are present.
More Information E-mail Suggestion for Accident Prevention Program 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 8th fatality reported during calendar year 2007 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 2006, there were 34 fatalities reported in coal mining. This is the first fatality classified as Powered Haulage in 2007. At this time in 2006, there were six fatalities in this classification.

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:
Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report



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