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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday July 11, 2008, a 62-year old shift foreman with 40 years experience was fatally injured while preparing to tram a belt feeder to a belt tail after a belt move. When the feeder started, it abruptly pivoted pinning the victim between the feeder and the coal rib.

Photo of accident scene described in paragraph above


Best Practices
  • Provide a protective guard to shield the control levers from unintentional activation.
  • Always ensure that the operating controls of belt feeders are in a neutral position before starting the machine.
  • All operating controls of belt feeders should be located in a single area to ensure that the operator has full control of all functions of the machine.
  • Develop a Standard Operating Procedure for the operation of all feeders.
  • Train all miners involved with the tramming and operation of feeders on the SOP and ensure that it is followed.
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 16th fatality reported in calendar year 2008 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 2007, there were eight fatalities reported in the coal mining industry. This is the fifth Machinery fatality in 2008. At this time in 2007, there was one fatality 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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