COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday, October 7, 2011, a 23-year-old section repairman with five years of mining experience was killed when a continuous haulage conveyor fell on him. A rock had been used to block up the continuous haulage conveyor. The victim was working beneath the continuous haulage conveyor attempting to repair the bridge conveyor chain.

Do not work under raised equipment unless it is securely blocked.

Use proper blocking material that is properly placed and stable.

Conduct thorough examinations of all areas where work is scheduled and have adequate oversight to ensure all tasks are performed in a safe manner.

Provide additional training for all work procedures emphasizing best practices for each specific task.

Evaluate hazard potential before working in tight spaces. Click on the following link for more information: MSHA - SLAM Risks the Smart Way - Safety and Health Outreach Program Home Page.

	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 16^th fatality reported during calendar year 2011 in the coal mining industry. This is the first fatality classified as a Falling Material accident in 2011. Forty-four coal mine fatalities occurred in 2010 within the same period. No Falling Material fatality occurred last year.