COAL MINE FATALITY - On September 23, 2009, a 38 year old contractor miner/driller with 10 years of experience was fatally injured while working at a shaft construction project. The victim and four other employees were located on the top deck of a 2-deck work platform that was suspended in the shaft. He was not wearing fall protection and fell through an opening in the center of the top deck of the work platform to the bottom of the shaft 38 feet below.

Best Practices
Always wear, and use, suitable fall protection when positioned or working where fall hazards exist. Assure that fall protection systems for multiple workers allow for independent movement. Establish work procedures to eliminate creating openings through which persons may fall. Stop, Look, Analyze and Manage the hazards associated with each work task.
This is the twelfth fatality reported in calendar year 2009 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 2008, there were 22 fatalities reported in the coal mining industry. This is the second "Slip/Fall of Person" fatality in 2009. At this time in 2008, 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.
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