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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Tuesday January 8, 2008, a 29-year old truck driver with three years experience was fatally injured while attempting to dump spoil. The truck over-traveled the edge of the dump and rolled down the spoil slope approximately 140 feet.

Photo of Accident Scene Described in the Paragraph Above


Best Practices
  • Provide and maintain adequate berms and other barriers of mid-axle height for dump sites.
  • Routinely monitor work habits and examine work areas to ensure that safe work procedures are followed.
  • Ensure equipment operators receive proper task training.
  • Ensure work areas and dump sites are properly illuminated at night.
  • Conduct pre-operational checks of equipment before placing into operation.
  • Use seat belts when operating equipment.
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 first fatality reported in calendar year 2008 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 2007, there was one fatality reported in the coal mining industry. This is the first Powered Haulage fatality in 2008. At this time in 2007, there were no 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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