Fatality #12 - June 20, 2009

Lapse in Appropriations

For workplace safety and health, please call 800-321-6742; for mine safety and health, please call 800-746-1553; for Job Corps, please call 800-733-5627 and for Wage and Hour, please call 1-866-487-9243 (1 866-4-US-WAGE).  This website is currently not being updated due to the suspension of Federal government services. The last update to the site was 10/1/2025.  Updates to the site will start again when the Federal government resumes operations.

Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back

Location: Weeks Island Mine and Mill - Louisiana

Mine Controller: K+S Aktiengesellschaft

Mine Type: Underground

Mined Material: Salt

Incident Date/Time: June 20, 2009 01:20 pm

Carlton J. Pennier, Oiler/Greaser, age 52, was fatally injured on June 20, 2009. Pennier was cleaning equipment when the mine roof fell on him. The fall was about 50 feet long by 20 feet wide and up to 3 feet thick. Another miner working nearby was not injured.

The accident occurred because the ground support system for the mine was not designed, installed and maintained to control the ground where persons worked or traveled. The roof rock broke below the anchorage zone of the roof bolts and pulled several of them out of the roof leaving the expansion shells in the bolt holes.

FATALITY ALERT

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 20, 2009, a 52-year old equipment oiler/greaser with 24 years of experience was fatally injured at an underground salt mine. He was cleaning equipment when a large roof fall occurred.